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
Most just want a chance to make a living.
—
Joanna Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
For independent musicians like Tony Justice, who rely on royalties and licensing to make a living, the case represents a fight for economic survival in an industry being reshaped by automation.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
If Substack creators can make a living on affiliate links, why not music geeks?
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Having been an outspoken voice for literary freedom leading up to the Prague Spring in 1968, Klima was driven underground by the Communist regime, forbidden to publish and denied the opportunity to make a living as a writer.
—Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make a living
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Joanna Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
For independent musicians like Tony Justice, who rely on royalties and licensing to make a living, the case represents a fight for economic survival in an industry being reshaped by automation.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
If Substack creators can make a living on affiliate links, why not music geeks?
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Having been an outspoken voice for literary freedom leading up to the Prague Spring in 1968, Klima was driven underground by the Communist regime, forbidden to publish and denied the opportunity to make a living as a writer.
—Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make a living
Cite this Entry
“Make a living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20a%20living. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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