Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Showing results for livelihood. Search instead for livelihood search.
Definitions

livelihood

[lahyv-lee-hood] / ˈlaɪv liˌhʊd /


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.

See Examples For:

But when it did, the flood threatened not only her home, but the livelihood she had spent years building.

From BBC Aug. 11, 2026

In court, barrister Richard Wright KC said his client, who admitted the charges, was a man of previous good character who had "lost his good name and his livelihood".

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

And instead of simply asking fishermen to stop, it has helped develop snail farming as an alternative livelihood.

From Barron's Jul. 23, 2026

"Our seas are not an empty void or a buffer zone between global powers -- they are our estate, our livelihood, and our identity as stewards of the sea."

From Barron's Jul. 10, 2026

So Ged was informed that as journeyman-wizard, one seeking a livelihood from sorcery, he was not wanted here.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

People whose livelihoods, traditions and cultural identities are closely tied to the ocean can experience significant emotional stress as familiar environments deteriorate.

From Science Daily Aug. 11, 2026

Their insecurity about AI’s impact on their livelihoods is growing.

From MarketWatch Aug. 10, 2026

That a wheel of Parmigiano could represent thousands of livelihoods.

From Salon Aug. 6, 2026

They could also have been hard to like—wealthy, Oxford-educated entrepreneurs who, as “the two horsemen of the recession,” destroy numerous workers’ livelihoods before following their own dreams.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 24, 2026

And trying to keep people from their jobs, from the livelihoods that put food on their plate and a roof over their heads, was as dangerous as the mountain next door.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone




Vocabulary lists containing livelihood


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training