quality of life

noun phrase

: overall enjoyment of life : general well-being

… the male characters on the show not only have a better chance of survival; they're also more likely to improve their quality of life through friendship.

—Juliet Lapidos

specifically : the degree to which a person or group is healthy, comfortable, and able to enjoy the activities of daily living

Migraine is a common disorder that can severely affect patients' quality of life and daily function.

—New England Journal of Medicine

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

A number of recent surveys have identified noise as New York City's greatest quality-of-life issue.

—Tom Vanderbilt

—abbreviation QOL

Examples of quality of life in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a Wednesday press conference, Tony said work still needs to be done to improve the quality of life for residents of Pompano Beach. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 June 2024

Given there is no cure for RA, the goals of treatment are to slow progression, control disease, and minimize its effects on quality of life. —Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 5 June 2024

Many residents now realize that our supervisors’ cumulative land use decisions are negatively impacting our quality of life. —Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 2 June 2024

In both South Carolina and North Carolina, the cost of living is lower than the national average without compromising quality of life. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above