lifeblood

noun

life·​blood ˈlīf-ˈbləd How to pronounce lifeblood (audio)
-ˌbləd
1
: blood regarded as the seat of vitality
2
: a vital or life-giving force or component
freedom of inquiry is the lifeblood of a university

Example Sentences

The town's lifeblood has always been its fishing industry. The neighborhoods are the lifeblood of this city. the lifeblood that flows through his veins
Recent Examples on the Web While single-ticket sales are important, Bennett said subscribers are the future lifeblood of the company because many subscribers become loyal donors. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2023 There are also more modern exhibitions about surf culture and the role of the river and the sea in Bilbao’s development, as well as what’s being done in the city to adapt to global warming and preserve the ecosystem that’s been its lifeblood. Andrew Ferren, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2023 Applications are the lifeblood of almost any business in a digital world. Kris Beevers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 A couple weeks later, in mid-February, fresh retail sales data blew past economist expectations, suggesting resilient consumer spending, the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2023 Small-scale lavender-oil production is the lifeblood for many in Provence, a region of France popular with tourists, along the Mediterranean Sea. Lucy Papachristou, WSJ, 7 Aug. 2022 The proposed North Big Bear Landscape Restoration Project also calls for building 47 miles of new e-bike trails in the area, a tactic aimed at attracting enough outdoor-minded urbanites to alleviate congestion on the south side of the lake, where tourism is both the community’s lifeblood and bane. Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2022 Strong will play a public-minded doctor in a small town who discovers the water supply for the public spa is contaminated and may have made tourists — the community’s economic lifeblood — ill. Mark Kennedy, BostonGlobe.com, 12 May 2023 Her beautiful creation of the character provides the dramedy, which also stars contenders Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, the lifeblood and emotional backbone needed to navigate the series successfully. Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lifeblood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lifeblood was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near lifeblood

Cite this Entry

“Lifeblood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifeblood. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

lifeblood

noun
life·​blood ˈlīf-ˈbləd How to pronounce lifeblood (audio)
: something that gives strength and energy

More from Merriam-Webster on lifeblood

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