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

Improvements were also reported in cramping, fatigue, and overall quality of life. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026

Expenses include quality of life medical issues. —Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026

Reduced Effects of Stress A study of 74 people with higher body mass index (BMI) examined how supplements might affect stress and quality of life. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 5 Jan. 2026

The committee’s mission is to protect the quality of life within Oak Lawn, generally bounded within Woodall Rodgers Freeway, North Central Expressway, Highland Park, Inwood Road, Harry Hines Boulevard and Oak Lawn Avenue. —Timia Cobb breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026

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