bucket list

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noun Informal.

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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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of bucket list

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

Words nearby bucket list

bucket about, bucket brigade, bucket conveyor, bucketful, bucket ladder, bucket list, bucket out, bucket seat, bucket shop, bucket truck, buckeye

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bucket list in a sentence

OK, sure, you’ll have to win a coveted lottery spot to spin your wheels across this storied road, but the nearly guaranteed wildlife sightings alone are enough to put this 92-mile drive atop your bucket list.
The Best Scenic Drive in Every State|eriley|August 26, 2021|Outside Online
Before walking on a prosthetic, Jim was already climbing again, and before long, he began dreaming about his bucket list.
The Best Climbing Movies and Where to Watch Them|syadron|July 31, 2021|Outside Online
Said to be the finest mountain scenery in the US, this 211-mile trail should definitely be on your bucket list.
Ten Ideal Hikes for the Solo Adventurer|syadron|July 30, 2021|Outside Online
Everyone has a travel bucket list, and now is the perfect time for you to start checking off those destinations you’ve had your eye on for the longest time.
Score these 3 great services that will help you travel further, cheaper, and better|Quinn Gawronski|June 22, 2021|Popular-Science

The park’s primitive backcountry campsites, a short and mild walk into the dune field, are currently closed, but they’re more than worthy of your bucket list, so check back frequently to stay on top of reopening.
15 National Park Campsites to Add to Your Bucket List|Outside Editors|June 15, 2021|Outside Online
Her solution: a bucket list of influential people and places to visit and photograph.
Annie Leibovitz Talks About ‘Pilgrimage,’ Susan Sontag, Vogue & More|Justin Jones|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was on a hike to the Grand Canyon at age 18 that Shattuck penned her first bucket list.
From Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader to Mrs. Robinson|Brandy Zadrozny|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the verge of turning 60 this December, Lennox still has a few items to cross off her bucket list.
Annie Lennox Doesn’t Give a Damn What You Think|Itay Hod|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Men and women “go on bucket list,” some commit suicide, and others go full on doomsday hoarder.
What Would You Do if the World Was Over?|William O’Connor|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As part of ProjectOneLife's ongoing video bucket list venture, it was time to get a little jiggy wit it.
Viral Video of the Day: 100 Days of Dance|The Daily Beast Video|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for bucket list

bucket list

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012