lifer

noun

lif·​er ˈlī-fər How to pronounce lifer (audio)
1
: a person sentenced to imprisonment for life
2
: a person who makes a career of one of the armed forces
3
: a person who has made a lifelong commitment (as to a way of life)

Examples of lifer in a Sentence

He was a lifer at the factory.
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.
The Orioles in their present form are painful to watch, even for this Orioles lifer. — George Hammerbacher, Catonsville Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 23 May 2025 Back in October, the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves did a fateful super-swap, with Wolves lifer Karl-Anthony Towns traded for two beloved Knicks that helped revive Madison Square Garden. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 14 May 2025 The book, an oral history told by the artists who were there, also ripples with the vibes of SoCal, thanks especially to lifers like the Agnew Brothers (the Adolescents), Dexter Holland and Noodles (the Offspring), and Mike Ness, the founder and frontman of the enduring Social Distortion. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2025 Both are lifers, apparently incapable of walking away. Brendan Quinn, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lifer

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lifer was in 1827

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Cite this Entry

“Lifer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifer. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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