fact of life

American  

noun

1. any aspect of human existence that must be acknowledged or regarded as unalterable.

   Old age is a fact of life.

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idioms

1. facts of life, the facts concerning sex, reproduction, and birth.

   to teach children the facts of life.

Etymology

Origin of fact of life

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fact of life

Leaders of other countries went to him, a well-recognized fact of life in the United States Senate, when they needed something.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

The FSS also issued a “consumer warning” last week to remind investors that “with stock market volatility increasing” sharp price changes are a new fact of life.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

It is a damnable fact of life that great propaganda works even when you know it’s propaganda.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

With the ongoing shutdown of the federal government, travelers are starting to find that flight delays and cancellations are becoming a fact of life.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2025

For every womanly fact of life she doesn’t get told, a star of possibility still winks for her on the horizon.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver