maintain livelihood

USAGE SUMMARY

"maintain livelihood" is an acceptable and commonly used phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to the act of trying to keep up a certain standard of living or to sustain a certain quality of life. For example, "The government is taking measures to help people maintain their livelihoods during the pandemic."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"We haven't diversified quickly enough to maintain livelihood," he says.

Vice

Water crises strain the ability of individuals and societies to maintain livelihood security and political stability.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Extreme weather events coupled with sea level rise and erosion will cause coastal and riverine areas where people live and maintain livelihoods to permanently disappear.

Resilience The Science of Adaptation to Climate Change

Depending on location, this shift was driven by multiple factors including the growth of the tourism economy, social and political unrest, and patterns of mobility causing rural families to relocate as a result of land degradation or changing abilities to maintain livelihoods.

Yale University

The second strand of literature strongly advocates the importance of the pastoral living style to maintain livelihoods through traditional systems (Moritz et al. 2009; Nassef et al. 2009).

Pastoralism

How do refugees around the world maintain livelihoods in the face of insecurity, instability and precarity?

Huffington Post

Improved management of coastal fisheries in order to maintain livelihoods, food security and dietary health.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

With multi-disciplinary teams of researchers, managers, and decision makers, she has worked to develop agricultural approaches that reduce environmental impacts while maintaining livelihoods and human wellbeing.

Stanford University

Pastoralists are often restricted to maintaining livelihoods as herders in the group ranches or as hired herdsmen in the private ranches.

Pastoralism

Since 1997, the Marine Stewardship Council has been developing solutions to balance this dynamic tension between protecting our marine environment and maintaining livelihoods.

Huffington Post

"This is a community trying to maintain its livelihood," he said of the Haida.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing long-term strategies for communities or individuals, use "maintain livelihood" to emphasize the continuous effort required to sustain a particular way of life or economic activity.

Common error

Avoid using "maintain livelihood" when referring to temporary or short-term solutions. This phrase implies a sustained effort to preserve a way of living, not just immediate relief.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "maintain livelihood" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe actions taken to support or continue one's way of living. Ludwig AI indicates that this is a commonly used phrase in a variety of contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

16%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "maintain livelihood" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe the act of sustaining one's way of living, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is most commonly found in news, scientific, and academic sources, suggesting its relevance in discussions about economics, sustainability, and social policy. Alternatives such as "sustain one's living" or "preserve economic well-being" can be used depending on the specific context. When using the phrase, ensure that it reflects a continuous effort, rather than a short-term solution. It's important to note the difference between "maintain" versus "improve" a livelihood, depending on whether the goal is to preserve current conditions or enhance them.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sustain one's living

Focuses on the act of sustaining, which emphasizes continuation and support of living conditions.

preserve economic well-being

Emphasizes the economic aspect and the idea of keeping well-being intact.

secure financial stability

Highlights the act of making financial aspects stable and safe, ensuring livelihood security.

uphold living standards

Stresses the maintenance of a certain level of quality of life and lifestyle.

ensure means of subsistence

Highlights the basic necessities needed for survival and ensuring they are available.

safeguard financial existence

Focuses on protecting one's financial state and ensuring continued existence.

support income generation

Highlights the support aspect concerning the activity of generating income.

continue economic activity

Emphasizes the continuation of activities that produce economic value.

retain economic viability

Focuses on keeping something economically viable or able to function.

defend economic base

Stresses the defense and protection of the underlying economic foundations.

FAQs

How can I use "maintain livelihood" in a sentence?

You can use "maintain livelihood" to describe efforts to sustain a particular way of living or economic activity. For example, "The government is implementing policies to help farmers "maintain their livelihood" in the face of climate change."

What are some alternatives to "maintain livelihood"?

Alternatives to "maintain livelihood" include "sustain one's living", "preserve economic well-being", or "secure financial stability", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "maintain livelihood" or "sustain livelihood"?

Both "maintain livelihood" and "sustain livelihood" are correct and can be used interchangeably in many contexts. However, "maintain" emphasizes keeping something at its current state, while "sustain" emphasizes the ability to continue over a long period.

What's the difference between "maintain livelihood" and "improve livelihood"?

"Maintain livelihood" implies keeping the current standard of living, while "improve livelihood" suggests making it better. For example, efforts to "maintain a livelihood" might involve preventing job loss, whereas efforts to improve it might involve providing job training or creating new economic opportunities.