living wage

noun

Synonyms of living wagenext
1
: a subsistence wage
2
: a wage sufficient to provide the necessities and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of living

Examples of living wage in a Sentence

He was barely earning a living wage.
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 federal art programs of the past serve as urgent reminders that the US government once considered art a public resource, like electricity or education, and paid artists from diverse backgrounds a living wage to make art for public benefit. John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026 African Americans need an effective economic system that does not place profits before people and a better political structure that makes a living wage possible and ensures that the health and well-being of everyday people are provided for and protected. Essence, 2 Apr. 2026 Data from the Census Bureau and Good Reason Houston has shown that one in five families in Houston live under the poverty line, and only one in five high school graduates earned a living wage six years after graduation. Ashley Soebroto, Houston Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026 If one parent is working, the calculator found $55 an hour is needed for a living wage. Tim Fang, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for living wage

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of living wage was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Living wage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living%20wage. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

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