lifeblood

noun

life·​blood ˈlīf-ˈbləd 

-ˌbləd

1

: blood regarded as the seat of vitality

2

: a vital or life-giving force or component

freedom of inquiry is the lifeblood of a university

Examples of lifeblood in a Sentence

The town's lifeblood has always been its fishing industry.

The neighborhoods are the lifeblood of this city.

the lifeblood that flows through his veins

Recent Examples on the Web

This, in turn, slashed creator revenues and sent independent creators—the emotional lifeblood of the platform—into uproar. — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026

Since diesel is the lifeblood of the supply chain, a rise in fuel costs will likely result in higher prices charged by wholesalers in response to elevated transport expenses, some analysts said. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 July 2026

These are the lifeblood of artificial intelligence, and the computational power provided by such facilities gives America its narrow but fragile edge over China in the AI race. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 15 July 2026

Paddle the region’s lifeblood on a tour with Grand River Canoe Livery; trips range from two to six hours. — Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lifeblood

• waterflood
• blood
• bud
• crud
• dud
• flood
• mud
• rud
• scud
• spud
• stud
• thud

Kids Definition

lifeblood

noun

life·​blood ˈlīf-ˈbləd 

: something that gives strength and energy