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.
Not living full-time in New York might also mean they use fewer city services, an effective subsidy for the average resident.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
In separate research, the statistics body found the rising cost of living was the most important issue facing adults, above the NHS and the economy in general.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
“I would think of my profile as sort of a really cute living room/open garden. And people could come in and have a little cafecito, or a little tea and listen to poetry,” Martínez said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
She expresses a hope that she may help, through her work, to validate the holistic native worldviews that see an interconnectedness between all living things.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
As their horizons broadened, I would tell them about the people living in the Beje, people who never had a visitor, never a piece of mail.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
