life-changing

adjective

life-chang·​ing ˈlīf-ˌchān-jiŋ 

: having or capable of having a significant impact on someone's life

a life-changing career opportunity

a life-changing injury

… in 1986 he took a year off to travel. The experience was life-changing and led to his 1991 decision to pursue writing full-time.

—Carolyn Hart

(humorous) Made with fresh carrots, pineapple, a blend of warm spices and a homemade brown butter cream cheese frosting, this carrot cake recipe is life-changing …

—Jocelyn Delk Adams

Examples of life-changing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

A sign of the times, the hotel company is tuning into a new evolution marked by a generation of luxury travelers in search of a local connection, life-changing, authentic experiences and lasting memories. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 9 June 2026

The tech startup convinced many to invest millions in Holmes' experiment, which boasted life-changing blood tests via machines called Edisons. —Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026

Health care remains one of the few sectors without a financing model for life-changing products. —William V. Padula, STAT, 8 June 2026

Gilpin's own experience as a parent — who did not give birth in an office — informed Sydney's life-changing scene too. —Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for life-changing

• interchanging
• rearranging
• arranging
• exchanging
• unchanging
• changing
• ranging