lifetime

noun life·time \ ˈlīf-ˌtīm \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 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

Carolyn was a lifetime homemaker helping raise three children; Greg (Lori) Lentz, Sara (Thad) Eckerle, and Eric (Kristi) Lentz.

— reader submitted, Indianapolis Star, "Anniversaries: Wayne H. Lentz & Carolyn Joyce Lentz," 17 June 2018
And inspiring them to not only play and get into soccer but become lifetime fans.

— andrew joseph, For The Win, "Landon Donovan explains how U.S. soccer can avoid another World Cup failure," 16 June 2018
Bascone suffered a brain injury because of the strangulation, leaving her blind and needing lifetime care.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Ex-doctor charged with murder in recent death of woman attacked in 1988," 15 June 2018
Lady Lucy makes her second lifetime start after chasing the 8-to-5 favorite from the gate, dueling during the middle stages and understandably tiring late to finish fifth for trainer William Connelly.

— scott shapiro, The Courier-Journal, "Twinspires.com's free expert pick for Friday at Churchill Downs," 14 June 2018
To help welcome him to Cincinnati, one of America’s finest and most versatile ensembles, The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will be joining the Maestro on stage for this once in a lifetime performance.

— Cincinnati.com, "See Andrea Bocelli in Concert," 12 June 2018
What was a lifetime highlight for most for us who were there that night was probably just another Tuesday for our charming, magnanimous host.

— leah greenblatt, EW.com, "Remembering Anthony Bourdain: EW's unforgettable night out with the late chef and television host," 8 June 2018
Our four-legged friends also get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans do, with a lifetime risk of about 30 to 40 percent.

— keridwen cornelius, Scientific American, "A Shot against Cancer Slated for Testing in Massive Dog Study," 7 June 2018
One of the best ways to make vacation memories that last a lifetime is to find a destination everyone looks forward to returning to year after year.

— annemarie conte, Woman's Day, "Yes, It Is Possible to Take a Family Trip That Feels Like a Vacation," 4 June 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

Synonyms

Related Words

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

LIFETIME Defined for Kids

lifetime

Definition of lifetime for Students

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