variants or less commonly life-or-death
: involving or culminating in life or death : vitally important as if involving life or death

Examples of life-and-death in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There, Slayton–speaking in quiet tones—laid down what was NASA’s life-and-death law. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Nov. 2025 And alas, a number of Americans are learning the hard way that sunshine and mid-fifties in the high country can quickly become a life-and-death situation. Frederick Dreier, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025 The editor used audio recordings from doorbell cameras and a series of 911 calls to give audiences a sense of the confrontation, which is far different from the life-and-death scenario Lorincz describes to police officers. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025 The premiere ends with the 113 arriving at a country music festival, where an impending twister has torn apart the stage, resulting in several life-and-death crises. Andy Swift, TVLine, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for life-and-death

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life-and-death was in 1804

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Life-and-death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life-and-death. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

life-and-death

adjective
: ending in life or death : deciding which will survive
a life-and-death struggle

More from Merriam-Webster on life-and-death

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