living wage

noun

Synonyms of living wagenext
1
: a subsistence wage
2
: a wage sufficient to provide the necessities and comforts essential to an acceptable standard of living

Examples of living wage in a Sentence

He was barely earning a living wage.
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.
As the Industrial Revolution immiserated 19th-century workers, Pope Leo XIII championed their rights to unionize and receive a living wage at a time when these ideas were widely considered radical. Elias Wachtel, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2026 Prior to the pandemic, the city relied on a consultant’s living wage calculation using the federal poverty rate for a family of three, adjusted upward to account for San Jose’s higher cost of living. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026 What types of jobs pay enough to meet the living wage in Texas? Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026 The living wage in Wake County sits at around $55,250 a year for a single adult with no children. Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for living wage

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of living wage was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Living wage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living%20wage. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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