living

adjective liv·ing \ ˈli-viŋ \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Examples: living in a Sentence

Definition of living

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.

b : ²live 2a

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

See living defined for English-language learners

See living defined for kids

Examples of living in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of living from the Web

Its flexible design also allows for the addition of a second floor for even more living space.

— tony bacewicz, courant.com, "North Woods of Colchester, Colchester," 22 Mar. 2018
Gray’s predecessor, the Rev. Lester K. Jackson, a progressive civil rights leader, argued for better employment opportunities and improved living conditions for blacks.

— carole carlson, Post-Tribune, "Longtime Gary minster dead at 90," 8 May 2018
Putin took the oath of office for his fourth term as Russian president on Monday and promised to pursue an economic agenda that would boost living standards across the country.

— Washington Post, "Putin vows to boost Russian economy as he begins 4th term," 8 May 2018
That’s a remarkable figure, considering that just within living memory fewer than 5,000 people called the neighborhood home.

— scott garner, latimes.com, "Neighborhood Spotlight: Reseda, a Valley proxy, is slightly sleepy but not sluggish," 13 Apr. 2018
The need for more living donors has prompted BJC officials to explore joining a Johns Hopkins Medicine pilot program for a Facebook app directed at people in need of an organ donation.

— rachel rice, chicagotribune.com, "Amid long waits for organ transplants, some launch their own searches," 10 Apr. 2018
Kim works within a musical philosophy that views every note and every individual articulation as alive, with glissando, attack, shape and tone as a unique and living embodiment of the music/life essence.

— john adamian, courant.com, "Jin Hi Kim's One Sky II For Orchestra To Premiere At Wesleyan," 7 Apr. 2018
The $12 performance attended by 15 guests took place on an Oriental rug in the host’s living room, surrounded by chairs and benches.

— anne kadet, WSJ, "When Turning Your Living Room Into a Pop-Up Nightclub Seems Like a Good Idea," 13 Mar. 2018
In its third year of recession, Venezuela is suffering from triple-digit inflation and deteriorating living conditions.

— chris kraul, latimes.com, "Anguish after Venezuela jail fire kills at least 68: 'Those who did this should pay'," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'living.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of living

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

living Synonyms

Phrases

in commission (or into commission), in force, in gear, on line;

living

noun

Definition of living

1 : the condition of being alive

2 a : means of subsistence : livelihood

earning a living

b archaic : estate, property

c British : benefice 1

3 : conduct or manner of life

the collegiate way of living
—J. B. Conant

See living defined for English-language learners

Examples of living in a Sentence

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 of living from the Web

But without water no one can make a living on them.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "June 10, 1888: Estimating the good land," 10 June 2018
Fans of Greek mythology might recognize shades of Orpheus and Eurydice—the story of the legendary musician who traveled to the Underworld to find his dead bride and try to bring her back to the land of the living.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "How Westworld’s Most Beautiful Episode Yet Answers 9 Major Mysteries," 10 June 2018
And most of the writing is being done by freelancers without much hope of making a living at it.

— deanna isaacs, Chicago Reader, "Do we really need theater critics?," 8 June 2018
The Root’s Angela Helm wrote about the impact that the aforementioned Whole Foods has had on her native Harlem, noting how its black residents are leaving because of rising rents and higher costs of living.

— terrell jermaine starr, The Root, "There Goes the Neighborhood: How Food Helps Drive Gentrification," 8 June 2018
Not only is Weighting Comforts supplying a quality product for those in need, the brand also provides an opportunity for refugee women to make a living using a valuable skill.

— Southern Living, "This Southern Company Combats Anxiety & Champions Refugee Women," 7 June 2018
Outside court, lawyers for two of the administrators said their clients have suffered tremendous loss to their reputations and perhaps their ability to make a living, and expressed hope prosecutors would drop the charges.

— david owens, courant.com, "Montville High Administrators Plead Not Guilty In 'Fight Club' Case," 7 June 2018
It is primarily used in determining the growth rate of the economy, as well as the how much living standards can increase.

— jonathan sperling, Fortune, "U.S. Productivity Rose at Less-Than-Expected Numbers in 2018's First Quarter," 6 June 2018
Religious groups, however, said that the government shouldn’t force anyone to go against their principles to make a living.

— natalie dreier, ajc, "Supreme Court decision on wedding cake case: Things to know," 5 June 2018