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.
Then she spent time living in a convent house herself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
"These are people who have fled the war in Sudan, and they are seeing the same things again and living the same things, it is overwhelming."
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Jordan Peele, when he made “Get Out,” said, “Being Black in America is like living in a horror movie. That’s why I made ‘Get Out.’”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
The rest of us are just living in it.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
She was maybe the meanest living woman in Indiana now that Miss Myrt was no more.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
