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.
Shrum said he doubts that message will resonate with enough voters to sway the race to Valadao “in an environment where the things people are worried about are the cost of living, the war.”
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
Then she spent time living in a convent house herself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
And while he was less likely to get hurt than a living animal, drowning was one of the most dangerous dangers to undead creatures.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
