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
Someone trying to keep the clicks coming to make a living, or a leader of the repressed?
—
Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Like many other Black citizens, Malvin was not just trying to make a living.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for make a living
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Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Like many other Black citizens, Malvin was not just trying to make a living.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
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
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 13 Nov. 2025.
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