vital statistics
plural noun
1
: statistics relating to births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease
2
a
: facts (such as physical dimensions or quantities) considered to be interesting or important
She proudly ticked off the show's other vital statistics—17 special exhibits spread over 60,000 square feet, quilts from 25 countries, 150 exhibitors who staffed 210 booths …—
Joseph Harriss
Joseph HarrissMonday afternoon of the week before our game with Pitt last year, a note suddenly appeared on our locker room "clobber board"—the bulletin board we use to post pictures and vital statistics of opposing players.—Ara Parseghian with John McDermott
Ara Parseghian with John McDermott
b
informal + sometimes offensive
: a woman's bust, waist, and hip measurements
They ran ads in Russian newspapers asking women to send photos and vital statistics …—Time
TimeExamples of vital statistics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those who live near their birthplaces can visit the local vital statistics office, but staffing shortages and escalating demand for REAL IDs have caused significant backlogs in some states.
—Julie Carr Smyth, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Those who live near their birthplaces can visit the local vital statistics office, but staffing shortages and escalating demand for Real IDs have caused significant backlogs in some states.
—Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Stewart’s bill adds that records shall be verified through, at a minimum, the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File and the State Department of Health’s system of vital statistics.
—Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 6 Mar. 2026
Anadol says eventually another device will monitor viewers vital statistics, such as heartbeat, and that data will be used to change the art in real time.
—Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vital statistics
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Julie Carr Smyth, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Those who live near their birthplaces can visit the local vital statistics office, but staffing shortages and escalating demand for Real IDs have caused significant backlogs in some states.
—Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Stewart’s bill adds that records shall be verified through, at a minimum, the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File and the State Department of Health’s system of vital statistics.
—Jillian Taylor, StateImpact, 6 Mar. 2026
Anadol says eventually another device will monitor viewers vital statistics, such as heartbeat, and that data will be used to change the art in real time.
—Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vital statistics
Cite this Entry
“Vital statistics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vital%20statistics. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
vital statistics
noun plural
vital sta·tis·tics
-stə-ˈtis-tiks 
: statistics relating to births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease
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