earn a living
idiom
: to earn the money needed for food, clothing, etc.
She's just trying to earn a living.
Examples of earn a living in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Indianapolis leaders don't want more of their employees to be among the tens of thousands of people who live outside Marion County but rely on the county's infrastructure to earn a living, Hanson said.
—
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 Aug. 2025
Given the widespread unemployment and financial precarity in Nigeria, cyberfraud can seem like an appealing way—sometimes the only way—to earn a living.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Hartsel said Colorado is now firmly in the camp of states such as California and Minnesota, which are increasingly siding with workers and protecting their ability to earn a living.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025
In the nineteenth century, for instance, libraries offered some women the freedom to explore, learn, and work, challenging social norms that styled (some) women as too frail to earn a living outside the home.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 14 Aug. 2025
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Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 Aug. 2025
Given the widespread unemployment and financial precarity in Nigeria, cyberfraud can seem like an appealing way—sometimes the only way—to earn a living.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Hartsel said Colorado is now firmly in the camp of states such as California and Minnesota, which are increasingly siding with workers and protecting their ability to earn a living.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025
In the nineteenth century, for instance, libraries offered some women the freedom to explore, learn, and work, challenging social norms that styled (some) women as too frail to earn a living outside the home.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earn a living
Cite this Entry
“Earn a living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn%20a%20living. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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