earn a living
idiom
: to earn the money needed for food, clothing, etc.
She's just trying to earn a living.
Examples of earn a living in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As industries undergo rapid changes, more Americans are turning to freelancing and side hustles to earn a living.
—
Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024
The thesis proposed by Kevin Kelly is that a working creative only needs one thousand true fans willing to spend $100 on their art each year to earn a living.
—Howard Murphy, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
The prices set by fashion giants do not take into consideration workers’ wages and, as a direct result, 98% of garment workers across global fashion supply chains do not earn a living wage.
—Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024
However, more can be done – lawmakers should focus on maintaining our infrastructure, creating new economic development programs and finding ways to improve Arizonans’ quality of life so that all residents earn a living wage and raise their families in safe and attainable neighborhoods.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for earn 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.
Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024
The thesis proposed by Kevin Kelly is that a working creative only needs one thousand true fans willing to spend $100 on their art each year to earn a living.
—Howard Murphy, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
The prices set by fashion giants do not take into consideration workers’ wages and, as a direct result, 98% of garment workers across global fashion supply chains do not earn a living wage.
—Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024
However, more can be done – lawmakers should focus on maintaining our infrastructure, creating new economic development programs and finding ways to improve Arizonans’ quality of life so that all residents earn a living wage and raise their families in safe and attainable neighborhoods.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for earn a living
Dictionary Entries Near earn a living
Cite this Entry
“Earn a living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn%20a%20living. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share