living wage

noun

Synonyms of living wagenext
1
: a subsistence wage
2
: a wage sufficient to provide the necessities and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of living

Examples of living wage in a Sentence

He was barely earning a living wage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What is considered a living wage in Indianapolis? Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 11 Dec. 2025 Instead, the focus should be on changing production practices to allow for living wages that support a better life and work-life balance for workers—for instance, enabling them to afford to send their children to school and allowing for time off. Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 1 Dec. 2025 As of 2024, 39% of factories are paying a living wage, and an additional 29% are paying wages that are 80% of living wages or more. Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2025 If Johnston heeds that warning, the mayor will likely have to find a proposal that balances workers’ need for a living wage with the desire to attract businesses to the city core in order to find enough council support to pass the legislation. Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for living wage

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of living wage was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Living wage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living%20wage. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on living wage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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