living
Usage
What are other ways to say living?
Living and livelihood (a somewhat more formal word), both refer to what one earns to keep (oneself) alive, but are seldom interchangeable within the same phrase: to earn one's living; to threaten one's livelihood. “To make a living” suggests making just enough to keep alive, and is particularly frequent in the negative: You cannot make a living out of that. “To make a livelihood out of something” suggests rather making a business of it: to make a livelihood out of knitting hats. Maintenance refers usually to what is spent for the living of another: to provide for the maintenance of someone. Maintenance occasionally refers to the allowance itself provided for livelihood: They are entitled to a maintenance from this estate.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yu said Pure Living did "careful due diligence", including money laundering checks.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
Living in the beach city for more than 50 years, he wondered why nothing could be done about the trash washed in by the San Gabriel River.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
The data came from the Nutrition for Healthy Living study conducted at the University's Charles Perkins Centre.
From Science Daily • May 12, 2026
One is a sweet tea brand it plans to launch tied to its Southern Living magazine.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Living in a trailer full of May’s empty spaces.
From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant
