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end of life

1 American  
[end-uhv lahyf] / ˈɛnd əv ˈlaɪf /

noun

  1. the final stage of a person's life, when they are facing death due to old age or terminal disease.

  2. the final stage of usefulness of a thing, when it can no longer be repaired or supported and must be discarded or recycled.

end-of-life 2 American  
[end-uhv lahyf] / ˈɛnd əv ˈlaɪf /

adjective

  1. of, in, or relating to the final stage of a person's life, when they are facing death due to old age or terminal disease.

  2. of, in, or relating to the final stage of usefulness of a thing, when it can no longer be repaired or supported and must be discarded or recycled.

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.

During the amendment phase of the debate, Tory MSP Brian Whittle highlighted the importance of using this bill to promote more discussion on understanding peoples' wishes at the end of life.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Assisted dying has been legal since 2016 for people at the end of life.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

In 2022, India brought solar panels under e-waste rules, making manufacturers responsible for collecting, storing, dismantling and recycling them at end of life.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2025

Near the end of life, Munger leaned on humor for strength.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

The dam spelled the end of life as they knew it!

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.