- 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.
The singer, who likened herself to an “all-season” hibernating bear, said “I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working” amid her health issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
How are islanders coping with the cost of living?
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
I am 71, retired and currently living comfortably on Social Security and a pension.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The decision to collect, preserve and shape such a rare material provides evidence of the resourcefulness and mental abilities of the early humans living there.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Toward the end of the twentieth century, scientists will invent brain scanners that can "image" the electrical and chemical activity inside a living brain.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
