for dear life
idiom
: very tightly or quickly because of fear or danger
He was hanging/holding on to the rope for dear life.
They were running for dear life to get away from the vicious dogs.
Examples of for dear life in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Holding on for dear life The children taken by the current of the furious river clung to the branches of trees, according to one of the lawsuits, their bodies engulfed in foul, mud-laden water swirling with debris.
—
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025
At one point, the long table tips over, forcing her to hang on for dear life while suspended many feet in the air.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2025
Also, Southern California visits Nebraska with both sides holding on for dear life.
—Jordan Mendoza, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Then the Indians held on for dear life.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
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Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025
At one point, the long table tips over, forcing her to hang on for dear life while suspended many feet in the air.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2025
Also, Southern California visits Nebraska with both sides holding on for dear life.
—Jordan Mendoza, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Then the Indians held on for dear life.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
Cite this Entry
“For dear life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20dear%20life. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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