living wage

noun

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.
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 Thirty-nine percent of its partner factories pay a verified living wage. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 13 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 Sheinbaum said her plan would take aim at the roots of crime through strategic investments in education, living wages for farm workers, and strengthening rural infrastructure. Max Saltman, CNN Money, 4 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Living wage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living%20wage. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on living wage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!