live beyond one's means

verb

Have a lifestyle where one's spending regularly exceeds one's income.

“When young people first leave home, they often get into financial trouble living beyond their means. It is then that they start to learn some of the harsh realities of life.”

Opposite
live within one's meanscut one's coat according to one's cloth
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Meanings

verblive beyond one's means (third-person singular simple present lives beyond one's means, present participle living beyond one's means, simple past and past participle lived beyond one's means)

present singular third person lives beyond one's means · participle present living beyond one's means · participle past lived beyond one's means · past lived beyond one's means

  1. idiomaticHave a lifestyle where one's spending regularly exceeds one's income.

    When young people first leave home, they often get into financial trouble living beyond their means. It is then that they start to learn some of the harsh realities of life.

    Antonyms: live within one's means, cut one's coat according to one's cloth

Synonyms & antonyms

verbHave a lifestyle where one's spending regularly exceeds one's income.

Opposite
live within one's meanscut one's coat according to one's cloth
Also see
kick over the traces

Translations

Bulgarian живея отвъд възможностите си, простирам се извън чергата си
  • живея отвъд възможностите си (živeja otvăd văzmožnostite si)Translations
  • простирам се извън чергата си (prostiram se izvăn čergata si)Translations
Dutch boven zijn stand leven
  • boven zijn stand levenTranslations
Finnish elää yli varojensa
  • elää yli varojensaTranslations
French vivre au-dessus de ses moyens, griveler
  • vivre au-dessus de ses moyensTranslations
  • grivelerTranslations
German über seine Verhältnisse leben
  • über seine Verhältnisse lebenTranslations
Hindi घर में नहीं दाने अम्मा चली भुनाने
  • घर में नहीं दाने अम्मा चली भुनाने (ghar mẽ nahī̃ dāne ammā calī bhunāne)Translations
Indonesian besar pasak daripada tiang
  • besar pasak daripada tiangTranslations
Italian vivere al di sopra dei propri mezzi
  • vivere al di sopra dei propri mezziTranslations
Polish żyć ponad stan
  • żyć ponad stanTranslations
Russian жить не по сре́дствам
  • жить не по сре́дствам (žitʹ ne po srédstvam)Translations
Spanish vivir por encima de tus posibilidades
  • vivir por encima de tus posibilidadesTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

live beyond one's means. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/live%20beyond%20one's%20means

MLA

“live beyond one's means.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/live%20beyond%20one's%20means. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “live beyond one's means,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/live%20beyond%20one's%20means.

Source: live beyond one's means on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.