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.
He knows what it means to “spend many months living deep” in a “book’s guts” and is well placed to get other translators to discuss their work.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
A family living in Wyoming, which has no state-funded preschool, could move across the border to Colorado, where every parent can send their 4-year-old to part-time preschool for free.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Despite any savings you might see on housing in California, the overall cost of living in both cities could be comparable.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
In recent years, scientists have increasingly focused on the gut microbiome, the vast ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms living in the digestive system.
From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026
“Pretty tough to be a Cat Person living here so close to Dog Street,” Max said, and I suspected that might be true for any number of people.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
