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.
"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
Dissatisfaction is building in L.A. as the city’s cost of living mounts and a new generation of young Angelenos are unable to buy homes.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
The rest of us are just living in it.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
Related: ‘I feel like I’m living a lie’: My husband and I pretend we’re strapped for cash in front of friends.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
He publishes a series of articles, in which he describes Tala as a “graveyard of the living dead.”
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
