quality of life

noun phrase

: overall enjoyment of life : general well-being

… the male characters on the show not only have a better chance of survival; they're also more likely to improve their quality of life through friendship.

—Juliet Lapidos

specifically : the degree to which a person or group is healthy, comfortable, and able to enjoy the activities of daily living

Migraine is a common disorder that can severely affect patients' quality of life and daily function.

—New England Journal of Medicine

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

A number of recent surveys have identified noise as New York City's greatest quality-of-life issue.

—Tom Vanderbilt

—abbreviation QOL

Examples of quality of life in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An August survey by Remitly found that having a better quality of life is the top reason Americans want to expatriate. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025

Treatment usually focuses on measures to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. —Carrie Madormo, Health, 18 Oct. 2025

Finland’s overall quality of life score for 2025 was 89 percent out of 100. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025

In one online candidate profile, Peppes centered his campaign around neighborhood quality of life, thoughtful growth and development and fiscal responsibility. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quality of life

• afterlife
• pocketknife
• alewife
• birdlife
• folklife
• housewife
• jackknife
• loosestrife
• midlife
• midwife
• nightlife
• penknife