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

Business models and strategies have a shelf life and go sour like milk left out too long. — Jeff Degraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Perishable foods like produce and some meats are particularly sensitive to a rise in diesel costs, since their short shelf life leaves them especially vulnerable to sudden increases in supply-chain costs, some analysts previously told ABC News. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Some might consider that effort and cost extraordinary for an art form that has a shelf life and is extremely vulnerable. — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Save as a collection on MyRecipes We’re all trying to make our grocery budgets stretch a little further these days, and a great way to do that is to stock up on canned and frozen foods that have a long shelf life. — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shelf life

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

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