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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

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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 ability to be a part of that, and, more importantly—with the right investment—bring that back into winning ways, that literally only happens, in my experience, once in a lifetime. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2025 This is probably a once in a lifetime event. Sara Schilling, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2025 Sharing this special day with you is once in a lifetime! Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025 The collapse of the Japanese empire ushered in an extraordinary—indeed, a once in a lifetime—opportunity for Koreans. Kornel Chang september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for once in a lifetime

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Cite this Entry

“Once in a lifetime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/once%20in%20a%20lifetime. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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