whole livelihood

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "whole livelihood" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the entirety of someone's means of supporting themselves or their family, often in the context of discussing financial stability or employment. Example: "After losing his job, he struggled to find a new source of income to support his whole livelihood."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

"Their whole livelihood depends on passing the test," he said.

The New York Times

Mr. Enweya had run a small delivery service, and with the loss of the van, his whole livelihood disappeared.

The New York Times

"For me, it's catastrophic because it took away my whole livelihood, my whole way of expressing myself.

The New York Times

Because agriculture relies on the mass cultivation of a handful of starchy crops, a community's whole livelihood can be wiped out overnight by bad weather or pests.

The New Yorker

George Orwell, an inveterate smoker, once complained that "ordinary man spends more on cigarettes than an Indian peasant has for his whole livelihood".

The Economist

One farmer who was loading his family and belongings onto a tractor-trailer on the edge of Lashkar Gah last week said he had abandoned his whole livelihood in Sistan, Marja, as soon as the harvest, a poor one this year, was done.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Whole livelihoods are considered in jeopardy.

The New York Times

"It is because people here are farmers who organise their whole livelihoods around the moon," he said.

The Guardian

"But then, when I think of the staff inside, not knowing how this will turn out and their whole livelihoods are at stake, I feel rotten".

The Guardian - Money

"I'm getting sick to death of financial products – when I started it was Storm products – causing many elderly people to lose their whole livelihoods.

The Guardian

Bringing it back won't be easy, but some are staking their whole livelihoods on it.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "whole livelihood" to emphasize that someone's entire means of support is at stake, rather than just a part of it. For example, "The new regulations threaten the farmers' whole livelihood.".

Common error

While "whole livelihood" is acceptable, be mindful of using it excessively in highly formal or academic writing. Consider more precise alternatives like "primary income source" or "total economic output" to enhance clarity and sophistication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whole livelihood" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. Ludwig indicates it's a correct and usable phrase, often referring to someone's complete means of financial support.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "whole livelihood" is a grammatically sound phrase used to denote the entirety of someone's means of support. As Ludwig highlights, this phrase frequently appears in news and media contexts when discussing events that threaten financial stability. While perfectly acceptable, writers should consider the formality of their writing when choosing between "whole livelihood" and alternative phrases like "entire income source" or "complete means of support". Although Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct, overusing it in formal contexts should be avoided.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entire source of income

Emphasizes the totality of income derived from a particular source.

complete means of support

Highlights the comprehensiveness of the support system.

total financial sustenance

Focuses on the financial aspect of survival.

primary occupation

Underscores the main job or profession providing income.

sole breadwinning activity

Emphasizes being the only income-generating activity.

mainstay of income

Highlights the reliability and importance of the income source.

principal revenue stream

Focuses on the primary source of revenue.

basic economic survival

Highlights the fundamental aspect of economic existence.

economic foundation

Emphasizes the underlying base of financial security.

means of living

A more general term for how someone supports themselves.

FAQs

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

You can use "whole livelihood" to refer to the entirety of someone's means of supporting themselves, like: "The factory closure jeopardized the workers' "whole livelihood"".

What are some alternatives to saying "whole livelihood"?

Alternatives to "whole livelihood" include phrases like "entire source of income", "complete means of support", or "total financial sustenance", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "entire livelihood" instead of "whole livelihood"?

Yes, "entire livelihood" is a valid alternative and conveys essentially the same meaning as "whole livelihood". Both emphasize the completeness of one's means of support.

What's the difference between "livelihood" and "whole livelihood"?

"Livelihood" refers to one's means of support in general. Adding "whole" emphasizes that you are referring to the entirety of their means of support, rather than just a portion.