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• c'est la vie
  c'est la vie

  that's life; such is life.
• C'est la vie
  C'est la vie

  An expression used to play down some minor disappointment: “So we lost a softball game by twenty-two runs. What can you do; c'est la vie.” From French, meaning “that's life.”

c'est la vie

American  

[se la vee] / sɛ la ˈvi /

French.

1. that's life; such is life.

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c'est la vie British  

/ sɛ la vi /

1. that's life

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C'est la vie Cultural  

1. An expression used to play down some minor disappointment: “So we lost a softball game by twenty-two runs. What can you do; c'est la vie.” From French, meaning “that's life.”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

c'est la vie C'est la vie

“I think if a guy doesn’t want to be here for whatever reason, then c’est la vie, it’s all good.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2023

The term never caught on — ut c’est la vie.

From The Verge ● May 31, 2022

You can’t get much more contrived than getting three supermodels to arrange your hair on a yacht, but c’est la vie, because after Jenner received 3.5m likes, the pose became incredibly popular among copycats.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 25, 2019

There was little other action on the Senate floor as the hours passed, even as the Assembly chugged along with various minor bills and a vague sense of c’est la vie.

From New York Times ● Jun. 21, 2018

The French version of the same idea is in no way inferior to the Greek: On entre, on crie, Et c'est la vie!

From Political and Literary essays, 1908-1913 by Evelyn Baring

C’est la vie seems to be her attitude.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2025

But earlier this year a company operating out of China pretending to be a Birmingham-based jewellers began using the C'est la vie name, damaging the reputation of Ms Newman's business.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2025

C’est la vie: Speaking of the Rams, the team lost its first game of the season by a score of 28-0 to the San Francisco 49ers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2016

Quote of the Day: "I dont care about it. C'est la vie," From world champion Peter Sagan, reflecting on losing the yellow jersey.

From US News ● Jul. 6, 2016

"C'est la vie," she said; a favourite reflection with her.

From Dross by Henry Seton Merriman

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