1
a
: having life
b
: active, functioning
living languages
2
a
: exhibiting the life or motion of nature : natural
the wilderness is a living museum … of natural history—
NEA Jour.
NEA Jour.3
a
: full of life or vigor
b
: true to life : vivid
televised in living color
c
: suited for living
the living area
4
: involving living persons
5
: very
—used as an intensive
scared the living daylights out of me
livingness
noun
1
: the condition of being alive
2
a
: means of subsistence : livelihood
earning a living
c
British
: benefice sense 1
3
: conduct or manner of life
the collegiate way of living—J. B. Conant
J. B. ConantSynonyms
Examples of living in a Sentence
Adjective
I was taught to respect all living things.
His aunt is his closest living relative.
He's one of our greatest living authors.
It was the first time I had ever seen a living, breathing bear in the wild.
Noun
the challenges of city living
It's summertime, and the living is easy.
the living and the dead
The world belongs to the living.
Recent Examples on the WebJ.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Its closest living relatives are river dolphins living more than 6,000 miles (10,000 kilometers) away in South Asia, according to researchers who recently described the previously unknown extinct mammal.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for living 
Adjective
The kids and young adults who listen to Hollins, see him as a living example of choices and consequences.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Its closest living relatives are river dolphins living more than 6,000 miles (10,000 kilometers) away in South Asia, according to researchers who recently described the previously unknown extinct mammal.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for living
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word '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 living
Cite this Entry
“Living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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