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
No one should be put in unsafe circumstances while trying to earn a living.
—
Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 19 June 2024
Look no further than Resorts World in Southeast Queens where all employees, down to those sweeping the floors at night, are unionized and earn a living wage with benefits.
—Donovan Richards, New York Daily News, 12 June 2024
The experience proves that traditional crafts can still be a viable way to earn a living.
—Karen Gardiner, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2023
They have been driven by the country’s poorest and most marginalized people, those who turned to smuggling to earn a living, often at the risk of death or life in a prison camp.
—Joshua Stanton, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2017
See all Example Sentences for earn a living 
Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 19 June 2024
Look no further than Resorts World in Southeast Queens where all employees, down to those sweeping the floors at night, are unionized and earn a living wage with benefits.
—Donovan Richards, New York Daily News, 12 June 2024
The experience proves that traditional crafts can still be a viable way to earn a living.
—Karen Gardiner, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2023
They have been driven by the country’s poorest and most marginalized people, those who turned to smuggling to earn a living, often at the risk of death or life in a prison camp.
—Joshua Stanton, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2017
See all Example Sentences for earn a living
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'earn a living.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 30 Jun. 2024.
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