life-threatening
adjective
life-threat·en·ing
ˈlīf-ˌthre-tᵊn-iŋ 
-ˌthret-niŋ
: capable of causing death : potentially fatal
a life-threatening disease/condition
The injuries are serious but not life-threatening.
Examples of life-threatening in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The order stranded them indefinitely, sometimes in life-threatening conditions.
—
Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
In those cases, staph can lead to blood infections, pneumonia, heart failure or stroke, or bone and joint infection and life-threatening conditions like sepsis and septic shock.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The second adult victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 13 May 2026
His injuries weren’t life-threatening, records state.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for life-threatening
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Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
In those cases, staph can lead to blood infections, pneumonia, heart failure or stroke, or bone and joint infection and life-threatening conditions like sepsis and septic shock.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The second adult victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 13 May 2026
His injuries weren’t life-threatening, records state.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for life-threatening
Cite this Entry
“Life-threatening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life-threatening. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
life-threatening
adjective
life-threat·en·ing
ˈlīf-ˌthret-ən-iŋ
: capable of causing death : potentially fatal
life-threatening injuries
a life-threatening allergic reaction
life-threatening arrhythmia
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