There are several synonyms for the phrase "lives as man and wife." These include cohabitation, common-law marriage, domestic partnership, and living together. Cohabitation refers to living together as partners without being legally married. Common-law marriage is a legal principle that recognizes a couple as married after a certain amount of time living together. Domestic partnership is a legal status that grants certain rights to unmarried couples. Living together simply means sharing a residence with a partner. All of these phrases describe a couple who share a living space and a committed relationship, but may or may not be legally married.