standard of living

noun phrase

1
: the necessities, comforts, and luxuries enjoyed or aspired to by an individual or group
2
: a minimum of necessities, comforts, or luxuries held essential to maintaining a person or group in customary or proper status or circumstances

Examples of standard of 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.
The long-term problem comes from a fact about innovation: a small number of people account for a large share of the ideas which improve our standard of living. Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 How will the pay affect your standard of living or taxes in the new location? Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 14 May 2025 In the wealthier parts of town, affluent South Africans enjoy a better standard of living than in much of Europe or the U.S. Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 11 May 2025 The standard of living is going to be lower than their parents’. Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for standard of living

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of standard of living was in 1825

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Cite this Entry

“Standard of living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standard%20of%20living. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

standard of living

: the necessities, comforts, and luxuries that a person or group is accustomed to

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