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life

noun

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\ ˈlīf

plural lives\ ˈlīvz

Essential Meaning of life

1 : the ability to grow, change, etc., that separates plants and animals from things like water or rocks He believes that God gives life to all creatures. the miracle of life eternal/everlasting life

2 : the period of time when a person is alive She knew what she wanted to do early in life. [=when she was young] He became famous relatively late in life. [=at a relatively old age] See More ExamplesHe became famous later in life. = He became famous in later life. She was happy and healthy for most of her life. The people in her family tend to have long/short lives. I've known her all my life. He is nearing the end of his life. They spent their whole/entire lives in one town. = They lived in one town all their lives. People can expect to change jobs several times in their life/lives. They've been waiting their whole/entire life/lives for an opportunity like this. This is the financial opportunity of his life. [=of his lifetime; the best chance in his life to make money]Hide

3 : the experience of being alive What do you really want out of life? He believes in living life to the fullest. [=in living a very full and rich life] See More ExamplesAll this paperwork has made life much more difficult. The details of everyday/ordinary life can be fascinating. life in the city/country = city/country life Sometimes life just isn't fair. We can laugh at things in movies that would scare us in real life. [=in a real situation; in actual existence] Oh well, that's life! [=bad things will happen, and you have to deal with them] Despite the political upheaval, for most people life goes on as usual. [=the activities of life continue in the usual way] What do you really want to do with your life? Her children say that she has ruined their lives. She talked about the men in her life. [=the men she has had a romantic or close relationship with during her life] She has dedicated/devoted her life to helping other people. All this paperwork has made my life much more difficult. They're trying to get/put their lives back together. [=to begin living in a normal way after suffering loss, hardship, etc.] She was the love of my life. [=the person I loved more than any other person at any time in my life] I've never heard such a silly idea in all my life! [=at any time] = Never in my life have I heard such a silly idea! They're old enough to run/live their own lives. [=to make their own decisions about how to live] After all the problems they've had recently, they just want to get/move on with their lives. [=to continue living their lives in the usual way] I'm not surprised that I didn't get the job. That's the story of my life. [=that's the way things usually or always happen in my life]Hide

Full Definition of life

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body

b : a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings

c : an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism (see metabolism sense 1), growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction

2a : the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual children … are the joy of our lives— Agnes S. Turnbull

b : one or more aspects of the process of living sex life of the frog

3 : biography sense 1 the life of George Washington

4 : spiritual existence transcending (see transcend sense 1c) physical death his craving … for the release into the life to come— Rodney Gilbert

5a : the period from birth to death

b : a specific phase of earthly existence adult life

c : the period from an event until death a judge appointed for life

d : a sentence of imprisonment for the remainder of a convict's life

6 : a way or manner of living the life of the colonists

7 : livelihood The fishing village drew its life from the sea.

8 : a vital or living being specifically : person many lives were lost in the disaster

9 : an animating and shaping force or principle the life of the constitution … has been not logic but experience— F. A. Ogg & Harold Zink

10 : spirit, animation saw no life in her dancing

11 : the form or pattern of something existing in reality painted from life

12 : the period of duration, usefulness, or popularity of something the expected life of the batteries

13 : the period of existence (as of a subatomic particle) — compare half-life

14 : a property (such as resilience (see resilience sense 1) or elasticity) of an inanimate (see inanimate sense 1) substance or object resembling the animate quality of a living being

15 : living beings (as of a particular kind or environment) forest life

16a : human activities

b : animate activity and movement stirrings of life

c : the activities of a given sphere, area, or time the political life of the country

17 : one providing interest and vigor life of the party

18 : an opportunity for continued viability gave the patient a new life

19 capitalized, Christian Science : god sense 1b

20 : something resembling animate life a grant saved the project's life

life

adjective

Definition of life (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of or relating to animate being

2 : lifelong a life member

3 : using a living model a life class

4 : of, relating to, or provided by life insurance a life policy

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About life

Examples of life in a Sentence

Noun He believes that God gives life to all creatures. She was happy and healthy for most of her life. The people in her family tend to have long lives. I've known her all my life. He is nearing the end of his life. People can expect to change jobs several times in their life . They've been waiting their whole life for an opportunity like this. What do you really want out of life? All this paperwork has made life much more difficult. The details of everyday life can be fascinating. Adjective the life force in all things He was given a life sentence in prison.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Detroiter Destiny Jones, a 28-year-old mother of two (8-year-old Alvin and 4-year-old A’layah Coates) is excited to have an opportunity to change her life with help from Jackets For Jobs and Detroit At Work. — Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press, 12 Dec. 2021 Its new life this year means a smaller cast and a new narrator. — Kathrine Nero, The Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2021 On second thought, this seems like torture, and why do all the women in Link’s life want to hurt him? — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2021 Hawkins recalls Capra with a strong vision for the film — faith, hope and life renewed. — Mark Kennedy, ajc, 11 Dec. 2021 Art has always been a part of Patrick McWhortor's life. — Sofia Krusmark, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2021 Langston Hughes' gospel play aims to connect the Christmas miracle with life today. — Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2021 Serafini’s immediate goal was to pay some bills and move on with his life, perhaps becoming a social worker. — Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2021 The exterior adds another 1,550 square feet, all optimized to enhance life on board. — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Blue Eyes covers while a septuagenarian husband-and-wife team of pro-life OB-GYNs from Orlando slow-danced holding cigars. — Matt Farwell, The New Republic, 30 Nov. 2021 Certainly the pro-life community would cheer a ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upholding the Mississippi law. — William Mcgurn, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2021 Shortly thereafter, an adult male victim, conscious and breathing, walked into an area hospital suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound. — Kyle Morris, Fox News, 28 Nov. 2021 The injured suffered non-life threatening gunshot wounds, police said in a tweet. — NBC News, 27 Nov. 2021 The Hyde amendment was the price of peace between pro-life and pro-choice members of Congress in order to enact federal spending bills. — Charlie Dent, CNN, 14 Nov. 2021 The Visitors, a frosty electro concept album of synth-pop paranoia and mid-life despair. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2021 Starting Baltimore Ravens player Malik Harrison was struck by a stray bullet while in Ohio over the weekend, suffering a non-life threatening injury. — Ashley Boucher, PEOPLE.com, 1 Nov. 2021 Like most, both of us were juggling some general Covid anxiety, and like some, managing a few other mid-life trials that could justify joining a more restrictive retreat. — Margaux Lushing, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'life.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About life

Dictionary Entries Near life

Lifar

life

life's ambition

Statistics for life

Last Updated

13 Dec 2021

Cite this Entry

“Life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life. Accessed 13 Dec. 2021.

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More Definitions for life

life

noun

\ ˈlīf

plural lives\ ˈlīvz \

Kids Definition of life

1 : the state characterized by the ability to get and use energy, reproduce, grow, and respond to change : the quality that plants and animals lose when they die

2 : the period during which a person or thing is alive or exists

3 : all the experiences that make up the existence of a person : the course of existence I never heard of such a thing in my life!

4 : existence as a living being He saved my life.

5 : a way of living We studied the life of the ant.

6 : the time when something can be used or enjoyed the life of a battery

7 : energy and spirit They gave the party some life.

8 : biography

life

noun

\ ˈlīf

plural lives\ ˈlīvz