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Definitions

livelihood

[lahyv-lee-hood] / ˈlaɪv liˌhʊd /
NOUN
occupation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
employment income living subsistence sustenance
STRONG
alimentation art business circumstances craft game grind job keep maintenance means profession racket resources slot support thing trade vocation work
WEAK
bread and butter nine-to-five rat race source of income what one is into
Antonyms
STRONG
avocation entertainment fun pastime recreation unemployment

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.

Hans Holbein the Younger maintained his livelihood as a painter through times of religious and political turmoil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Disembarking in Egypt was an option, but meant leaving his luggage - including the racquets, kit and equipment which are his livelihood - with no guarantee when he would be reunited with it.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Financial infidelity is at least as damaging to a marriage and a couple’s livelihood as other kinds of secrecy and unfaithfulness.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

"I wanted to offer a livelihood to the footballers," Kiron added.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

MY LIFE, during the Defiance Campaign, ran on two separate tracks: my work in the struggle and my livelihood as an attorney.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Vocabulary lists containing livelihood

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"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift

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