make a living

idiom

: to earn the money one needs to pay for housing, food, etc.
He made a living by working as a cook.

Examples of make a living in a Sentence

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.
Some of these new hubs may suit the needs of individual projects, but none of them offers what L.A. did for most of the past century: a stable gravitational center where crews can make a living and the craft can be passed down. Lane Brown, Vulture, 3 June 2025 Annie Massie, co-executive director of the Northwest Indiana Food Council, detailed the plight of her nonprofit, founded in 2016 to help farmers make a living and become less vulnerable. Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025 The three men are all longtime Miami residents who have experienced homelessness and rely on donations to make a living, according to the complaint. Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025 Will Los Angeles still be a place where middle class, below-the-line entertainment workers can make a living and new productions can pencil out, or has the city permanently ceded that ground? Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for make a living

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make a living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20a%20living. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on make a living

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!