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

Rather than focusing first on science, the video opens with genuine reactions from eclipse observers, highlighting an experience that many describe as life-changing. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

For a 31-year-old who has had ligament replacement surgery in his elbow and literally played around the world, wouldn’t that seem like life-changing, family-securing money? — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 30 July 2026

But SeriousFun research shows that the camps are genuinely life-changing for kids and their parents. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026

An ordinary stop at a convenience store turned into an unforgettable day for an Ohio man after one scratch-off ticket delivered a life-changing jackpot. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for life-changing

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