useful life

noun

: the amount of time during which something is in good enough condition to be used

the useful life of a satellite

Examples of useful life in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Steering away from East Antioch’s recommended closure East Antioch Elementary originally faced closure due to declining enrollment — roughly 284 students — and a building that’s near the end of its useful life. — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026

The building systems, including heating and cooling, electrical and telecommunications, had exceeded their useful life, Sacramento State said in a November 2025 report to lawmakers. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026

As a result, valuable carbon or glass fibers and expensive aramid honeycombs can remain trapped inside an epoxy matrix after the component reaches the end of its useful life. — New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026

These assets and other noncapital items – which are items with a useful life of over one year but cost under $5,000 – must be inventoried by the department responsible for custody of the asset. — Kathryn Blackman, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for useful life

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

Legal Definition

useful life

noun

use·​ful life

: an estimated amount of time during which an asset or facility will yield income or be useful see also depreciation sense 1