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
After charging to a quick 5-0 lead and holding on — literally, in some cases — for dear life as Martinez rallied, Hruby celebrated her victory with arms held high and flashed double threes at the crowd.
—
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 22 Feb. 2026
Spencer Akira Howe and Emily Chan are still in third, but are hanging on for dear life.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 16 Feb. 2026
Cincinnati needs to hold on for dear life to this dynamic duo since any other city, New York and Chicago included, would be happy to have them.
—Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Feb. 2026
His job is to tuck in as flat as possible, hold on for dear life and pull the brakes at the end of the run.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 22 Feb. 2026
Spencer Akira Howe and Emily Chan are still in third, but are hanging on for dear life.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 16 Feb. 2026
Cincinnati needs to hold on for dear life to this dynamic duo since any other city, New York and Chicago included, would be happy to have them.
—Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Feb. 2026
His job is to tuck in as flat as possible, hold on for dear life and pull the brakes at the end of the run.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2026
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 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
