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

Meanwhile, neuroticism was negatively linked to quality of life in these later years. — Refractor, 27 July 2026

There will also be some new weapons, changes to hideout progression and a ton of quality of life improvements. — Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Democrats can’t seem to deliver lower costs or quality of life, let alone take on the existential threats of climate change and authoritarianism. — Ryder Kessler, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026

Factors in that quality of life rating include the area’s crime rates, weather and job market, as well as the quality of the state’s schools. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quality of life

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