once in a lifetime

phrase

: 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

What is once in a lifetime in some places, once a generation in other places, occasional in the most prosperous of programs, has become a baseline achievement for the men’s and women’s basketball teams in Storrs. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026

Hajj, one of the pillars of Islam, is required once in a lifetime for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to make it. — ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026

Forty days for a once in a lifetime chance. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026

Many guidelines now recommend testing it at least once in a lifetime. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 17 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for once in a lifetime

• aforetime
• allozyme
• anytime
• christmastime
• cybercrime
• dinnertime
• guggenheim
• isozyme
• lysozyme
• maritime
• mesenchyme
• overtime