life spans

plural of life span
as in durations
the period during which something exists, lasts, or is in progress I saw no need to pay more for a better-built computer that would just grow obsolete before the end of its life span

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of life spans Laboratory studies have shown that rapamycin could extend the life spans of yeast and mice—but, in a recent randomized human trial, older adults on the medication didn’t seem to experience any physical gains. Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Within that category, repair emerged as a particularly strong theme, reflecting a growing desire for extending product life spans over continually purchasing new items. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 11 June 2026 This embrace of coal is a short-term fix—extending the life spans of older coal-burning plants rather than spawning a wave of new ones. Jordan Blum, Fortune, 19 May 2026 Her life spans a century of dedication to and passion for all things creative in a lifetime of benefit to and for all. Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026 What are the life spans of data centers? Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026 In many-minded terms, an octopus’s natural life spans so many lives that the one-minded might call it unnatural or even schizophrenic. Mandy-Suzanne Wong, Longreads, 5 Feb. 2026 The concept of Mother Earth or Mother Nature as the center of the universe and source of all life spans Indigenous cultures around the globe. Melinda Laituri, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026 Steeped in the civil rights movement Norton was born and raised in Washington, and her life spans the arc of the district’s trials and triumphs. Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for life spans
Noun
  • Throughout the study, all participants wore wrist monitors that tracked their physical activity and sleep durations.
    Brian Mastroianni, Health, 20 July 2026
  • Starhopper's success paved the way for higher jumps for longer durations as SpaceX honed Starship's early design, and the same is planned for RV-X.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • After letting go of the minor, Schmidt yelled at both his parents and Pambianchi for the remainder of the evening, aggressively getting into Pambianchi's face multiple times.
    Gabe White, Arkansas Online, 21 July 2026
  • Palace’s Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada and Daniel Munoz all got on the scoresheet multiple times for Senegal, Japan and Colombia.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • In 397 plate appearances, Hunter Goodman has hit 31 long balls (3rd in MLB), tallied 57 RBIs and scored 64 runs (15th in MLB).
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Just shy of half of their runs — 11 of 23 — came across two games (an 8-6 loss to the Brewers on Saturday and 8-5 loss to the Astros on Monday).
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • These innovations signal a shift from robotic spectacle to practical, everyday applications, emphasizing collaboration, accessibility, and human-robot comfort as robots integrate into our lives.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
  • Chicago Fire follows the professional and personal lives of firefighters, rescuers and paramedics of Firehouse 51 in the Windy City.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • For the first time, many families — including ours — have reason to hope meaningful treatments may arrive within our children’s lifetimes.
    Eliza Goldwasser, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
  • First operational in 1973, the Leningrad NPP had four RBMK-1000 reactors at its peak, which are being phased out after completing their operational lifetimes.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Life spans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/life%20spans. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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