standard of living

noun phrase

1
: the necessities, comforts, and luxuries enjoyed or aspired to by an individual or group
2
: a minimum of necessities, comforts, or luxuries held essential to maintaining a person or group in customary or proper status or circumstances

Examples of standard of living in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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According to council leaders, the bill would guarantee that workers achieve a basic standard of living. Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 Economic challenges — including standard of living, rising prices, and low wages — were most often cited as the top domestic problem across 107 countries polled by Gallup last year. Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026 More than 60% of Florida’s education staff professionals earn less than $35,000 a year, far below the $61,002 minimal living wage needed for a single parent with one child to have a modest standard of living. Andrew Spar, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026 Americans in 41 states lost purchasing power, but Americans living in nine states managed to eke out a better standard of living, the study said. Medora Lee, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for standard of living

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of standard of living was in 1825

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Cite this Entry

“Standard of living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standard%20of%20living. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

standard of living

: the necessities, comforts, and luxuries that a person or group is accustomed to

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