livelihood

noun

live·​li·​hood ˈlīv-lē-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce livelihood (audio)
Synonyms of livelihoodnext
1
: means of support or subsistence (see subsistence sense 2)
The villagers' main livelihood is fishing.
2
obsolete : the quality or state of being lively

Examples of livelihood in a Sentence

Many fishermen believe that the new regulations threaten their livelihoods.
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.
At the conference in Mongolia, nomadic representatives sought ideas as well as funding to help protect their livelihoods. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026 As the downstream country, Pakistan depends heavily on the Indus Water Treaty, with tens of millions of people relying on the rivers' waters for their livelihoods and survival. — Sam Meredith,priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 His videos drew dozens of aspiring food truck owners, many of them immigrants like Ochoa, who entrusted him with their life savings in hopes of turning their dreams into a livelihood. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 My employees worked for me in good faith, trusting that their paychecks and taxes were being managed faithfully and that their livelihoods were secure. — Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for livelihood

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English livelode course of life, from Old English līflād, from līf + lād course — more at lode

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of livelihood was in the 14th century

Rhymes for livelihood

See All Rhymes for livelihood

Browse Nearby Words

livelihead
livelihood
livelily
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Cite this Entry

“Livelihood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/livelihood. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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