lifetime

noun life·time \ ˈlīf-ˌtīm \

Updated on: 25 May 2018

Definition of lifetime

1 a : the duration of the existence of a living being (such as a person or an animal) or a thing (such as a star or a subatomic particle)

b : life 12

2 : an amount accumulated or experienced in a lifetime

a lifetime of regrets

See lifetime defined for English-language learners

See lifetime defined for kids

Examples of lifetime in a Sentence

a lifetime spent traveling the world
It would have taken me a lifetime to read all those books.
Childhood seems a lifetime ago now!
a chemical with a lifetime of only a few minutes
the lifetime of a planet

Recent Examples of lifetime from the Web

Rehab is typically just the first step in a lifetime of recovery, but according to Oliver, many of them make broad claims about their success rates, many of which are completely self-reported and with no data to back them up.

— melissa locker, Time, "John Oliver Shines a Light on the Unregulated Rehab Industry on Last Week Tonight," 21 May 2018
MediaKix predicts that over a lifetime, people will spend about five years and four months on social media — and that's an underestimate.

— madeline buxton, refinery29.com, "Intentional Instagramming: The "New Age" Of Social Media," 16 May 2018
Gregg Barnes' costumes suggest the animation of the flick, then surpass it with what looks to be more sequins and Swarovski crystals than Liberace used in a lifetime.

— andrea simakis, cleveland.com, "It's a bumpy ride back to the boy-crazy '60s for the 6-woman cast of Great Lakes Theater's 'Beehive' (review)," 10 May 2018
Each person loses an average of 1.3 socks per month, accounting for more than 15 socks per year and 1,264 over a lifetime, according to the study of 2,000 people.

— cassie armstrong, OrlandoSentinel.com, "National Lost Sock Memorial Day: How to celebrate in Central Florida," 9 May 2018
Speaking to a national hospital group Monday, a Trump administration official said her agency will reject Kansas' request to limit some people to three years of Medicaid coverage in a lifetime.

— andy marso, kansascity, "Trump official rejects lifetime limit on Kansas Medicaid as dangerous to ‘safety net’ | The Kansas City Star," 7 May 2018
Just a few days in a lifetime are remembered by the date, minute-to-minute, from beginning to end.

— heather knight, San Francisco Chronicle, "Total Muni 2018 a reminder of how amazing SF and San Franciscans are," 3 May 2018
The kind of certainty that comes but once in a lifetime to be a Dallas Cowboy.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "In his own words: Jason Witten's full retirement speech | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 3 May 2018
Given all of that, the woman has worn more wedding dresses than most people do in a lifetime.

— sarah spellings, The Cut, "Sarah Jessica Parker Now Designs Wedding Looks," 24 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lifetime.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of lifetime

13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

lifetime Synonyms

Synonyms

continuance, date, duration, life, life span, run, standing, time;

Related Words

spell, stretch;

span, tenure, term;

hitch, tour, turn;

half-life;

age, longevity;

lifetime

adjective

Definition of lifetime

1 : lifelong

2 : of long duration or continuance

lifetime legislation

3 : measured or achieved over the span of a career

a baseball player's lifetime batting average

First Known Use of lifetime

1834

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

LIFETIME Defined for English Language Learners

lifetime

noun

Definition of lifetime for English Language Learners

: the time during which a person is alive
: a very long time
: the time during which something lasts or is useful

LIFETIME Defined for Kids

lifetime

noun life·time \ ˈlīf-ˌtīm \

Definition of lifetime for Students

: life 2

Learn More about lifetime

See words that rhyme with lifetime Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lifetime Spanish Central: Translation of lifetime Nglish: Translation of lifetime for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lifetime for Arabic speakers

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lifetime

Definition of lifetime

Examples of lifetime in a Sentence

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First Known Use of lifetime

lifetime Synonyms

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lifetime

Definition of lifetime

First Known Use of lifetime

Phrases Related to LIFETIME

Related Phrases

LIFETIME Defined for English Language Learners

lifetime

Definition of lifetime for English Language Learners

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lifetime

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