standard of living

American  

noun

1. a grade or level of subsistence and comfort in everyday life enjoyed by a community, class, or individual.

   The well-educated generally have a high standard of living.

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standard of living British  

noun

1. a level of subsistence or material welfare of a community, class, or person

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standard of living Cultural  

1. A term describing the amount of goods and services that an average family or individual views as necessary.

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Etymology

Origin of standard of living

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

standard of living

Instead, the residents of Mohenjo-daro may have cooperated to give households broad access to the resources needed for a comfortable standard of living.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

The perceived threat to their jobs and standard of living has added to Americans’ anxieties about the job market.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026

The trade body estimates the level of income needed to have a minimum, moderate or comfortable standard of living as a pensioner each year.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

They argue consumers are just running in place; higher inflation means their standard of living isn’t getting any better.

From MarketWatch ● May 16, 2026

The most marked manifestation of the trend was an enhanced standard of living for Rad Lab scientists placed on the government payroll as consultants.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik