bucket list

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a list of things a person wants to achieve or experience, as before reaching a certain age or dying.

   a bucket list for a terminally ill patient;

   What’s on your summer bucket list?

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bucket list British  

noun

1. informal a list of experiences one wants to have before one dies

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Etymology

Origin of bucket list

First recorded in 2005–10; from the idiom kick the bucket “to die”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bucket list

WSJ: What’s still on your bucket list in terms of improving operations?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

By the time we packed up our tents and chairs, my brother had crossed Melville’s masterpiece off his bucket list.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

"Chilling with the lemurs was top of my bucket list so that was probably the best experience I've had."

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

The race features showroom-style cars taking on the famous 15.8-mile circuit in the Eifel mountains in Germany and the 28-year-old had said it had "been on my bucket list for a long time".

From BBC ● May 17, 2026

It isn’t with Abby, and I certainly won’t be crossing off that one item on Will’s bucket list, but just going makes me feel closer to them.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott