Meaning & use
live through someone vicariously
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
to experience life or events indirectly by watching or hearing about what another person does, rather than doing them yourself
Grammar: Takes an object: 'live through someone vicariously'. The adverb 'vicariously' can also come before 'through': 'live vicariously through someone'.
Patterns
- live through someone vicariously
- live vicariously through someone
Since she couldn't travel, she lived through her daughter vicariously, asking for photos every day.
Some parents try to live through their children vicariously, pushing them into sports they never played.
Common combinations
- live through someone vicariously
- He lived through his favorite athlete vicariously, watching every game.
- live vicariously through someone
- She lives vicariously through her friends who travel the world.
- try to live through someone vicariously
- Parents should not try to live through their children vicariously.
Synonyms and how they differ
- live vicariously through someone
- This is the more common word order and has the same meaning; use it in everyday speech.
Commonly confused: live through someone vicariously or vicariously liable?
live through someone vicariously vs vicariously liable
In law, 'vicariously liable' means responsible for someone else's actions. It is a technical legal phrase, not related to enjoying life through others.
Practice
What does 'live through someone vicariously' mean?
Choose one answer.
The phrase means to experience events indirectly through another person. The other options describe different actions (living together, giving money, competing) and do not match the meaning of 'vicariously'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “live through someone vicariously”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.