plural lives
ˈlīvz 
1
a
: the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body
a matter of life and death
held on for dear life
b
: a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings
felt the life draining out of him
c
: an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism (see metabolism sense 1), growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction
Carbon dioxide is critical for plant life.
2
a
: 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
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
eternal life
5
a
: the period from birth to death
became famous relatively late in life
b
: a specific phase of earthly existence
adult life
c
: the period from an event until death
a judge appointed for life
d
law
: life sentence
6
: a way or manner of living
couldn't wait to experience college life
7
: livelihood
The fishing village drew its life from the sea.
8
: a vital or living being
9
: an animating and shaping force or principle
The life of the law has not been logic: it has been experience.—Oliver Wendell Holmes †1935
Oliver Wendell Holmes †193511
: 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
a spring that has lost most of its life
15
: living beings (as of a particular kind or environment)
bird life
forest life
16
a
: human activities : the active or practical part of human existence
… her experience cooking for crews of men on the railroads in the West had prepared her for life in the Yukon.—Jane G. Haigh
Jane G. Haigh
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 lease on life
19
20
: something resembling animate life
a grant saved the project's life
see also get one's life back together, get one's life together, piece one's life back together, put one's life back together, take one's own life
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
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
Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
The home run ended up being the difference between the Blue Jays having another inning of life as Yoshinobu Yamamoto managed to get the final three outs of the game in a gutsy relief performance.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025
At least three people are hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries following a series of crashes on Interstate 264 between Breckenridge and Browns lanes, Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Aaron Ellis said.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for life
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
If negative emissions technologies can indeed attain consequential scale, should they be pressed into the service of life extension for fossil capital?
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
The home run ended up being the difference between the Blue Jays having another inning of life as Yoshinobu Yamamoto managed to get the final three outs of the game in a gutsy relief performance.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The man had non-life threatening injuries and is in stable condition at the hospital.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025
At least three people are hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries following a series of crashes on Interstate 264 between Breckenridge and Browns lanes, Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Aaron Ellis said.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for life
Cite this Entry
“Life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
life
1 of 2 noun
plural lives
ˈlīvz
1
a
: the quality that separates plants and animals from such things as water or rock : the quality that plants and animals lose when they die
b
: a state of a living thing marked especially by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction
2
a
: all the experiences that make up the existence of a person
never heard of such a thing in all my life
b
3
a
: the period during which a person, animal, or plant lives
b
: a specific part of living
adult life
c
: the period from an event until death
remained friends for life
4
: a way or manner of living
the life of the ant
5
: a living being
many lives were saved
6
: energy or spirit in action or expression
eyes full of life
still some life left in the coals
7
: the form or pattern of something that exists in actual fact
painted from life
looks larger than life
8
: the period of usefulness, popularity, or existence of something
battery life
the life of an insurance policy
9
: living beings (as of a kind or place)
forest life
10
: living activity and movement
stirrings of life
streets humming with life
11
: one providing interest and vigor
the life of the party
life
2 of 2 adjective1
: of or relating to living existence
the life force
2
: lifelong
a life member
Medical Definition
life
noun
plural lives
ˈlīvz
1
a
: the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional plant or animal from a dead body
b
: a state of living characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction
2
a
: the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual
b
: a specific part or aspect of the process of living
sex life
adult life
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