- present participle of live.
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.
Shoshana Rubli was a young woman living abroad when her therapist surprised her by recommending she cut off her mom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Neff’s genius includes extending the living room’s pitched ceiling outward over a covered loggia, linking the inside-outside rooms in stellar Southern California fashion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Meanwhile Blackstock remained in the Big Sky State, picking up his own dwelling, where he is understood to have been living with his partner, Brittney Marie Jones, who previously worked as an assistant to Clarkson.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
"Workers are also set to see a renewed squeeze on living standards during the second half of the year as higher energy costs feed through to household bills."
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
It was like walking through a playhouse; we passed a deserted living room with a settee beside a fireplace, then a fake patio, then an artist’s loft.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
