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
As Amber Sparks pointed out in 2023, prizes are a way for authors, the majority of whom don’t earn a living from writing books, to make a little money.
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Maris Kreizman, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for earn a living
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Maris Kreizman, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
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
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 13 Sep. 2025.
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