1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

lifespan

noun

variants also life span
Definition of lifespannext
as in duration
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 lifespan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 lifespan The finding suggests the female brain responds in different ways to points of hormonal flux throughout the lifespan. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026 Birch trees tend to have shorter lifespans than other trees like maples or oaks, living just 20 to 40 years on average. — The Spruce, 8 Sep. 2026 Myers said smaller dogs tend to live longer than bigger dogs, making their lifespans completely different. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026 Mayflies have some of the shortest lifespans in the insect world. — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lifespan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lifespan
  1. duration
  2. life
  3. lifetime
  4. time
Noun
  • The worry now is that the duration of the energy prices could raise inflation expectations and start to spread through the economy.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
  • When inflation is elevated, investors typically demand higher yields in exchange for owning longer-duration bonds.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of duration
Noun
  • Captivated by the notion, Bell and I tried it and had the time of our lives.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Even some of the signings who have made fast starts to life in the Premier League are still finding their feet.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of life
Noun
  • The unusual circumstances that piqued the interest of casual players was hailed as a once-in-a-lifetime gift that would widen the playing field for gaming consumers.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
  • However, picking the right cruise line for this voyage of a lifetime is crucial to ensuring your trip is memorable for the right reasons.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of lifetime
Noun
  • Brughmans can throw the ball a long way, and do so accurately enough to initiate attacks before the other team has had time to reset.
    — Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • All John needs to do is recite the Green Lanterns oath the next time Hal hands him his ring for training.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of time

Browse Nearby Words

lifers
lifespan
life spans
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lifespan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lifespan. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of watershed

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All