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
That’s not my particular hangup, though my ability to make a living from them is.
—
Liana Finck, New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2025
The island is home to between 200-300 people, many of whom still make a living crabbing and fishing the way their ancestors once did.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
Data is not available on YouTube alone, but reports suggest only about half of all full-time creators make a living wage.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Those issues tend to negatively impact their sense of self-worth along with their ability to get a job and make a living.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make a living
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Liana Finck, New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2025
The island is home to between 200-300 people, many of whom still make a living crabbing and fishing the way their ancestors once did.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
Data is not available on YouTube alone, but reports suggest only about half of all full-time creators make a living wage.
—Belinda Luscombe, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Those issues tend to negatively impact their sense of self-worth along with their ability to get a job and make a living.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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 31 Dec. 2025.
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