Definitions

livelihood

[lahyv-lee-hood] / ˈlaɪv liˌhʊd /

NOUN

occupation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

employment income living subsistence sustenance

STRONG

alimentation art business circumstances craft game grind job keep maintenance means profession racket resources slot support thing trade vocation work

WEAK

bread and butter nine-to-five rat race source of income what one is into

Antonyms

STRONG

avocation entertainment fun pastime recreation unemployment

Usage

What are other ways to say livelihood? Livelihood and the less formal word living, both refer to what one earns to keep (oneself) alive, but are seldom interchangeable within the same phrase: to threaten one's livelihood; to earn one's living. “To make a livelihood out of something” suggests making a business of it: to make a livelihood out of knitting hats. “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. 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.

"The vendors on the street, who may not have formal documentation status in our country, have expressed to me concern not just for their livelihoods, but for being stripped away from their families," he says.

From BBC

“Be it for the sake of world peace and stability or for our two countries’ economies and people’s livelihoods, it is imperative for us to strengthen dialogue and cooperation.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"China and the UK need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, whether it is to maintain world peace and stability or promote the economies and livelihoods of both countries," Xi told Starmer.

From Barron's

Li said he saw the high-tech farm as a "niche" with "great prospects", and hoped to provide his family with a livelihood.

From Barron's

"Police officers should not face losing their liberty or livelihoods for doing the job that society expects of them and it has been pleasing to see government acknowledgment of this."

From BBC

livelihood

Usage

Example Sentences

Related Words