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
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.
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 See All Example Sentences for quality of life

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quality of life was in 1943

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quality of life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quality%20of%20life. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!