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 history …—
NEA Jour.
NEA 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
1
: the condition of being alive
2
a
: means of subsistence : livelihood
earning a living
c
British
: benefice sense 1
3
: conduct or manner of life
… the collegiate way of living …—J. B. Conant
J. B. ConantExamples 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
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
Mulch young plants with pine straw, bark, or other non-living organic mulch until established.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Just as people must eventually retreat from outdoor living spaces—whether a porch, lawn, or patio—and head indoors, so too must our things.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for living
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
In theory, that would mean rewriting 18 million points of code to convert a living roan cell to a reborn bluebuck cell.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
Mulch young plants with pine straw, bark, or other non-living organic mulch until established.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
For a successful but not world-conquering rapper like Rashad, making a living relies on making sure that fans continue to feel connected to him.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Just as people must eventually retreat from outdoor living spaces—whether a porch, lawn, or patio—and head indoors, so too must our things.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for living
Cite this Entry
“Living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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