once in a lifetime

idiom

: very rare or very rarely
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
This sort of opportunity comes along once in a lifetime.

Examples of once in a lifetime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As our world warms, extreme weather that used to happen once in a lifetime are becoming more frequent occurrences. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 16 Sep. 2023 In each episode, a musical artist will choose one deserving fan to win a once in a lifetime prize — beginning with LL Cool J (born James Todd Smith). Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 3 Aug. 2023 In his 40 years on the road with Nelson, Sizemore, a St. Cloud, Florida, resident, has had countless once in a lifetime experiences, like meeting everyone from Dolly Parton to U.S. presidents. Brianne Tracy, Peoplemag, 25 July 2023 So incredibly grateful for this once in a lifetime experience! Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 22 June 2023 And to be sharing the stage with Lang Lang will be a dream come true; a once in a lifetime performance. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 8 May 2023 For one American, this is the second coronation of a lifetime Patrick Smith A coronation is a once in a lifetime event for most — but not for one American woman who travelled to London early Saturday to attend her second. Leila Sackur, NBC News, 6 May 2023 And to be sharing the stage with Lang Lang will be a dream come true; a once in a lifetime performance. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 8 May 2023 For one American, this is the second coronation of a lifetime Patrick Smith A coronation is a once in a lifetime event for most — but not for one American woman who travelled to London early Saturday to attend her second. Leila Sackur, NBC News, 6 May 2023 See More

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

Dictionary Entries Near once in a lifetime

Cite this Entry

“Once in a lifetime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/once%20in%20a%20lifetime. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

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