lifespan
noun
life·span
ˈlīf-ˌspan 
variants
or less commonly life span
plural lifespans also life spans
1
: the average length of life of a kind of organism or of a material object especially in a particular environment or under specified circumstances
2
: the duration of existence of an individual
Synonyms
Examples of lifespan in a Sentence
the average lifespan of house cats
increase the human lifespan
Recent Examples on the Web
Giant pandas have a lifespan of 18-20 years in the wild and up to 30 in captivity, according to Guinness World Records.
—
Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024
Some home cooks have reported longer lifespans while others have had to replace their nonstick pans after just a year.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 14 Aug. 2024
Male tarantulas typically have much shorter lifespans, ranging from a few years to around 5-10 years on average.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024
StarLink satellites have a lifespan of roughly five years before the company says they will be decommissioned.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024
That’s well within the lifespans of the majority of people alive today.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024
In addition to your diet, maintaining and strengthening the social connections in your life is one of the top ways to increase your lifespan.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 30 July 2024
The problem does not reduce lifespan except in the rare cases of certain heart defects.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2024
These plants will last longer than two years, although their lifespans can be much greater than that.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2024
Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024
Some home cooks have reported longer lifespans while others have had to replace their nonstick pans after just a year.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 14 Aug. 2024
Male tarantulas typically have much shorter lifespans, ranging from a few years to around 5-10 years on average.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024
StarLink satellites have a lifespan of roughly five years before the company says they will be decommissioned.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024
That’s well within the lifespans of the majority of people alive today.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024
In addition to your diet, maintaining and strengthening the social connections in your life is one of the top ways to increase your lifespan.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 30 July 2024
The problem does not reduce lifespan except in the rare cases of certain heart defects.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2024
These plants will last longer than two years, although their lifespans can be much greater than that.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lifespan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lifespan
Cite this Entry
“Lifespan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifespan. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
life span
noun1
: the duration of existence of an individual
2
: the average length of life of a kind of organism or of a material object especially in a particular environment or under specified circumstances
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