fact of life

American

noun

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

Old age is a fact of life.

idioms

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Insecure housing and seasonal wages are a fact of life in St Ives.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026

Beyond that, he also believes that he can usher in new ways of living, in which performance-enhancement isn’t reserved for elite athletes, but becomes a daily fact of life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2025

The remit was another harsh fact of life.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

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