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

What the Agora team can do more than anything is build bridges and create an environment for collaborations — the lifeblood of the European industry — to take root. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026

There’s plenty to be excited about in the industry that remains the Gulf’s economic lifeblood. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026

With no clear end in sight for the conflict in the Middle East, the pressure affecting cruise ships’ lifeblood seems poised to last into the holiday travel season and beyond. — Catriona Marangi, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2026

Seeing the two of them joke around gives me hope for peace on earth, and ultimately this sisterhood — though it’s often buried deep under endless drama and bickering — is the lifeblood of the show. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 22 Oct. 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