Meaning & use
means of living
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
the way a person earns money to pay for food, housing, and other needs
Grammar: Used as a countable phrase: 'a means of living' or 'their means of living'. The plural is also 'means of living'.
Patterns
- a means of living
- earn a means of living
- lose one's means of living
Fishing is the main means of living for many families on the island.
After the factory closed, hundreds of people lost their means of living.
She moved to the city to find a better means of living.
Common combinations
- main means of living
- Farming is still the main means of living in this region.
- earn a means of living
- He earns a means of living by repairing bicycles.
- lose one's means of living
- The drought caused many farmers to lose their means of living.
- provide a means of living
- The new factory provides a means of living for local people.
Synonyms and how they differ
- livelihood
- A single noun with the same meaning; it is more formal and common in writing.
- income
- Focuses on the money received, not the activity or method used to get it.
- living
- Often used in phrases like 'make a living'; it can also mean the money itself, not just the way of earning it.
Word family
Commonly confused: means of living or way of life?
means of living vs way of life
This means the customs and habits of a person or group, not how they earn money.
Practice
Many people in the village depend on farming as their main ______.
Choose one answer.
'Means of living' means the way they earn money, which fits 'depend on farming'. 'Way of life' is about customs, not income. 'Standard of living' and 'cost of living' refer to the level or price of everyday life, not the method of earning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “means of living”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.