life-or-death
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of life-or-death
First recorded in 1680–90
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With people making potentially life-or-death decisions based on his posts, Esko said he felt the weight of responsibility.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
That was apparently enough to resolve a life-or-death operational question for armed federal officers across the country.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
And he highlighted the potential dangers of autonomous systems making life-or-death decisions, calling for measures to “ensure that AI is always under human control.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
In those movies, as an unsuspecting bride thrust into a life-or-death situation, she appealingly balanced a convincing physical performance with an understated comedic streak, her beleaguered character enduring one absurdity after another.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
Heading to a neighboring camper or the campground offices to ask for a phone to use seems a little extreme—this isn’t exactly life-or-death.
From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
