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
Police previously confirmed that two 16-year-old females had suffered life-threatening injuries in the tragedy, before one of the girls — who has since been identified by family and loved ones as Elizabeth Angle — died.
—
Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Two men died and a woman suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
—Brandon Downs, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Thames was taken to a hospital for serious but not life-threatening injuries, Marquez said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2026
Yet, during Sunday night’s life-threatening freeze, wind and solar were functionally nonexistent, accounting for just a few percent of our energy.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for life-threatening
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Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Two men died and a woman suffered a non-life-threatening injury.
—Brandon Downs, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Thames was taken to a hospital for serious but not life-threatening injuries, Marquez said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2026
Yet, during Sunday night’s life-threatening freeze, wind and solar were functionally nonexistent, accounting for just a few percent of our energy.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 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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