living

1 of 2

adjective

liv·​ing ˈli-viŋ How to pronounce living (audio)
1
a
: having life
b
: active, functioning
living languages
2
a
: exhibiting the life or motion of nature : natural
the wilderness is a living museum … of natural historyNEA Jour.
3
a
: full of life or vigor
b
: true to life : vivid
televised in living color
c
: suited for living
the living area
4
: involving living persons
5
: very
used as an intensive
scared the living daylights out of me
livingness noun

living

2 of 2

noun

1
: the condition of being alive
2
a
: means of subsistence : livelihood
earning a living
b
archaic : estate, property
c
British : benefice sense 1
3
: conduct or manner of life
the collegiate way of livingJ. B. Conant

Examples of living in a Sentence

Adjective I was taught to respect all living things. His aunt is his closest living relative. He's one of our greatest living authors. It was the first time I had ever seen a living, breathing bear in the wild. Noun the challenges of city living It's summertime, and the living is easy. the living and the dead The world belongs to the living. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Haas is a living example of this philosophy as focusing on executing every detail has propelled him to great heights both professionally and personally. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2023 Penn Medicine Weissman has been studying RNA, a molecule in most living organisms and viruses, for nearly 30 years at UPenn. mRNA, or messenger RNA, tells your body how to make proteins and the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 tells your body how to copy the coronavirus' spike proteins. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2023 The average person has between 2 and 4 million sweat glands in their skin, at 10 times the density of a chimpanzee’s, one of our closest living relatives. WIRED, 30 Sep. 2023 An examiner with the office also denied registration under a section of the law that bars registration of marks that falsely suggests a connection with a living or dead person. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Sep. 2023 Its pre-eminent living composer, Estonia’s Arvo Part, has won a vast audience beyond the Orthodox aficionados and is one of the world’s most revered living composers. Brett Campbell | , oregonlive, 7 Sep. 2023 While scientists already plan to bring living insects to space to work as pollinators and to eat waste, the insects’ metal counterparts would likely live longer. Molly Glick, Scientific American, 17 July 2023 An aspen stem in Pando, one of the world's oldest living organisms. Paighten Harkins, The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 Aug. 2023 According to the Worcester Telegram’s intrepid Bill Ballou, 92-year-old Walpole Joe Morgan, skipper of the Red Sox from 1988-91, is the fourth-oldest living ex-manager, topped only by Billy Gardner (96), Billy Hunter (95), and Bob Lillis (93). Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2023
Noun
It’s finished to the hilt, as expected from someone who studied under Dufour, known as the greatest living expert in horological decoration. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2023 But the crunch is particularly acute in rural areas and places with a high cost of living, like California, which has a lower ratio of therapists to residents: just 57 per 100,000, compared with the national ratio of 72 per 100,000, according to the APTA. Mark Kreidler | Kaiser Health News, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2023 But in recent years, these two prominent nonprofits have experienced profound problems in their operations and with their tenants’ safety and living conditions. Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023 The classic Craftsman is now updated for modern living, but still retains its character and charm. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023 The 3,000-square-foot home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a flex office space, and an emphasis on indoor-outdoor living. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2023 The tour begins in independent living, passes through assisted living by way of the pond, and concludes in the memory wing. Clare Sestanovich, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023 The current minimum wage of 8,300 taka ($75), set in 2018, has left workers struggling due to inflation and rising living costs. Emily Chan, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023 Jasmine found herself with full body hives after exposure to Gino’s filthy living environment, and a new 90 Day lead, Clayton, introduced viewers to his apartment full of guinea pigs, chihuahuas and his mother, who lives in his closet. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'living.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of living was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near living

Cite this Entry

“Living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

living

1 of 2 adjective
liv·​ing
ˈliv-iŋ
1
a
: not dead : alive
living authors
b
: active sense 4b
a living faith
2
: naturally giving life
living waters
3
a
: true to life
the living image of your mother
b
: fit for living
the living area

living

2 of 2 noun
1
: the condition of being alive
2
: conduct or manner of life
3
: what one has to have to meet one's needs
earned a living as a cook

More from Merriam-Webster on 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!