shelf life

noun

: the period of time during which a material may be stored and remain suitable for use

broadly : the period of time during which something lasts or remains popular

Examples of shelf life in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Larger berries, like the company’s jumbo blueberries that are two to three times the size of a regular blueberry, also have a longer shelf life. —Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2025

Unlike running backs, receivers have a very long shelf life and will play into their 30s. —Steve Bradshaw, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025

If the advantage is conditional—or worse, psychological—its shelf life will be short. —John Cairney, Sportico.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Snap up these clever food savers that will give groceries a longer shelf life, then keep scrolling to shop a vacuum sealer and more storage containers starting at $14. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 13 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shelf life

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

Kids Definition

shelf life

noun

: the period of time something may be stored and still be good enough to use

Medical Definition

shelf life

noun

ˈshelf-ˌ 

: the period of time during which a material (as a food or drug) may be stored and remain suitable for use