Earn a living vs gain a living

Both 'earn a living' and 'gain a living' are correct phrases, but 'earn a living' is the more commonly used and idiomatic expression in English. 'Gain a living' is not incorrect, but it is less frequently used and may sound slightly awkward to native speakers.

Last updated: April 08, 2024 • 419 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"Earn a living"

This phrase means to make enough money to support oneself or one's family through work or employment.

Examples:

She works hard to earn a living for her family.
Many people struggle to earn a living in today's economy.
He decided to pursue his passion and find a way to earn a living from it.
Earning a living in a competitive job market can be challenging.
The artist was able to earn a living by selling her paintings.

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I think there must be better ways to earn a living.
Writing performance reviews can be an excellent way to earn a living.
If our illness is a chronic disability, healing means that we will once again have to work to earn a living.
Earn a living from your looks?
Never try to earn a living with dice.
I actually come here to earn a living.
Girl's trying to earn a living here.
One has to earn a living sometime.
Brooks declared bankruptcy in 1932 and began dancing in nightclubs to earn a living.
The things I did, to earn a living...
It's impossible to earn a living exclusively from your passion.
I was just trying to earn a living here.
I should be able to earn a living.
Whereas you spend days here to earn a living.
Those operators running small businesses are now struggling to earn a living under the new Regulations.
We have to live and earn a living in these places.
I work part-time jobs to earn a living at least.
We would not have to earn a living from them.
Writing performance reviews can be an excellent way to earn a living.

Alternatives:

make a living
support oneself financially
sustain oneself economically
provide for oneself
live off one's earnings

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in English.

"gain a living"

This phrase also means to make enough money to support oneself or one's family through work or employment, but it is less frequently used than 'earn a living'.

Examples:

Through hard work, he was able to gain a living for his family.
She tried various jobs to gain a living before finding the right career path.
Gaining a living in a tough economy requires determination and perseverance.
The company helped many individuals gain a living through their training programs.
Despite the challenges, he managed to gain a living as a freelance writer.

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As a matter of fact, fighting under the order of a chief or general has been, since immemorial time, a way to gain a living.
Geopolitics advocated conquering territory to gain more living space (Germ.
Six years after the crisis, some prominent economists are asking whether insufficient investment and/or waning gains from technological innovation have pushed the global economy into a "new normal" of lower growth and slow, if any, gains in living standards.
I am hoping to gain some experience living abroad and getting to know people.
Both tenants needed to fill out and sign consent forms so that the inspectors could legally gain access to their living quarters.
The bishop also spoke about religious vows in an outgoing Church, focussing especially on what we gain by living according to the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts, and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right.
The ground floor is divided on the basis of a large "L" where you have the kitchen and the living room that communicate visually with each, the ceiling in the living room gains altitude to give higher quality to space.
If your character carries at least 5 "Powder" Tokens, each living character gains 3 "Powder" Tokens.
It is a rare occurrence in anyone's lifetime to gain the impression of living through an historic moment, and this Constitutional Treaty, I believe, sees us participating in writing a page setting out the Europe that we want.
17 For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every ship master, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away,
But Barbara tells them, as she walks to her waiting police escort outside, that by finally being herself, she will finally gain her freedom from living under her sister's shadow.
Then through another entrance at the side of the building you can gain access to the living room with a fireplace, and a kitchen, a storage room where there is also, the washing machine, the spa and a big fridge.
"Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, Not a guide by which to live."
The basement level of the house consist of a arch-form bedroom which could be expanded laterally, then on the ground floor of the house you can gain access to the living area and the sleeping area upstairs.
See ancient rock paintings and gain a firsthand understanding of the history and traditions of the world's oldest living culture.
They had wanted to use the song as a way to gain a better understanding of the character and what she would be like if she was no longer living in fear, which ultimately resulted in her becoming much more complex.
Numbats are apparently able to gain a considerable amount of water from their diets, since their kidneys lack the usual specialisations for retaining water found in other animals living in their arid environment.
But to gain a better understanding of the significance that the architects attach to the relationship between environment and living space, we need to focus our attention on the building materials.
Unlike short vocational visits, this initiative enables interested people to gain a first-hand close understanding of what living in a Religious community is all about.

Alternatives:

earn a living
make a living
support oneself financially
sustain oneself economically
provide for oneself

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Earn a living vs gain a living

"Earn a living"

"gain a living"

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