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
As Rosa and Enrique try to make a living as undocumented workers in Los Angeles, the brutal reality around them quickly sets in.
—
Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2025
Image Few improv comedians can make a living through comedy alone, but today, careers in corporate improv make that more possible.
—Sam Sanders, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
More than 90 small consulting agencies make a living — in several instances, more than a million dollars — helping other businesses use Clay.
—Alex Konrad, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
TikTok’s restoration will be welcome news for the app’s 170 million American users, many of whom use the app for hours every day to find news, entertainment and community and, in some cases, to make a living, after weeks of uncertainty.
—Clare Duffy, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for make a living 
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.
Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2025
Image Few improv comedians can make a living through comedy alone, but today, careers in corporate improv make that more possible.
—Sam Sanders, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
More than 90 small consulting agencies make a living — in several instances, more than a million dollars — helping other businesses use Clay.
—Alex Konrad, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
TikTok’s restoration will be welcome news for the app’s 170 million American users, many of whom use the app for hours every day to find news, entertainment and community and, in some cases, to make a living, after weeks of uncertainty.
—Clare Duffy, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for make a living
Dictionary Entries Near 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 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share