living

1 of 2

adjective

liv·​ing ˈli-viŋ How to pronounce living (audio)
1
a
: having life
b
: active, functioning
living languages
2
a
: exhibiting the life or motion of nature : natural
the wilderness is a living museum … of natural historyNEA Jour.
3
a
: full of life or vigor
b
: true to life : vivid
televised in living color
c
: suited for living
the living area
4
: involving living persons
5
: very
used as an intensive
scared the living daylights out of me
livingness noun

living

2 of 2

noun

1
: the condition of being alive
2
a
: means of subsistence : livelihood
earning a living
b
archaic : estate, property
c
British : benefice sense 1
3
: conduct or manner of life
the collegiate way of livingJ. B. Conant

Examples of living in a Sentence

Adjective I was taught to respect all living things. His aunt is his closest living relative. He's one of our greatest living authors. It was the first time I had ever seen a living, breathing bear in the wild. Noun the challenges of city living It's summertime, and the living is easy. the living and the dead The world belongs to the living.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
This trend encourages you to blend diverse elements that create a visually-striking living environment. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2024 Bonobos and chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, maintain similar social dynamics. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023 Along with chimpanzees, bonobos are some of our closest living relatives. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Nov. 2023 Freezing temperatures made living conditions inside the plane fuselage incredibly harsh, and the survivors were weakened by exposure. Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 8 Feb. 2024 Wilbur is a living example of what DockDogs is all about. Brent Frazee, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024 The front entry, sitting room, and staircase were left largely untouched, but they’re now connected to an airier, family-friendly living space. Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023 Haas is a living example of this philosophy as focusing on executing every detail has propelled him to great heights both professionally and personally. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2023 Penn Medicine Weissman has been studying RNA, a molecule in most living organisms and viruses, for nearly 30 years at UPenn. mRNA, or messenger RNA, tells your body how to make proteins and the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 tells your body how to copy the coronavirus' spike proteins. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2023
Noun
In the adjacent living area, between a pair of bookcases, is a 6½-by-13-foot 2016 white-and-yellow diptych of an Italian locomotive by Matt Mullican, another of Freeman’s artists. Travis Diehl Dean Kaufman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 The turnkey estates, priced from $8.5 million to $20 million or more, will accommodate up to six bedrooms and include roughly 9,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024 The long-term goal is to create a living, walking elephant-mammoth hybrid that would be visually indistinguishable from its extinct forerunner and — if released into its natural habitat in sufficient numbers — could potentially help restore the fragile Arctic tundra ecosystem. Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Small-space living has led me to a ton of nifty home hacks. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 International Living states that retirees here can rent a three-bedroom condo with sea views for as low as $380 per month and that, other than the cost of housing, a single person needs just $500 a month to pay for additional living expenses. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024 Language is a living, evolving entity that constructs and transforms realities, fosters relationships, and allows for self-expression and existence. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 However, the city's cost of living is higher than both the state and national averages. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2024 Nestled within the serene landscapes of Vacaville lies a haven of modern living and timeless charm—Bristowe by Seeno Homes. Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'living.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of living was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near living

Cite this Entry

“Living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

living

1 of 2 adjective
liv·​ing
ˈliv-iŋ
1
a
: not dead : alive
living authors
b
: active sense 4b
a living faith
2
: naturally giving life
living waters
3
a
: true to life
the living image of your mother
b
: fit for living
the living area

living

2 of 2 noun
1
: the condition of being alive
2
: conduct or manner of life
3
: what one has to have to meet one's needs
earned a living as a cook

More from Merriam-Webster on living

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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