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
Then the Indians held on for dear life.
—
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2025
With the Red Sox clinging to their Wild Card for dear life, Harrison gave his new team six innings of one-run ball en route to a crucial 6-3 win over the Rays.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
After taking a 10-1 lead against the Twins, who entered play at 66-84, the Yankees had to hang on for dear life.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Federal funding has evaporated, and organizations offering critical services are hanging on for dear life — organizations that work in every nook and cranny of your communities, including social services, arts, advocacy.
—Joan Garry, IndieWire, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
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Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2025
With the Red Sox clinging to their Wild Card for dear life, Harrison gave his new team six innings of one-run ball en route to a crucial 6-3 win over the Rays.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
After taking a 10-1 lead against the Twins, who entered play at 66-84, the Yankees had to hang on for dear life.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Federal funding has evaporated, and organizations offering critical services are hanging on for dear life — organizations that work in every nook and cranny of your communities, including social services, arts, advocacy.
—Joan Garry, IndieWire, 15 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 31 Oct. 2025.
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