lifelong
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of lifelong
Explanation
Something lifelong lasts your entire life, or for most of it. A lifelong friendship might have begun in kindergarten, and it continues today. You can describe your grandfather as a lifelong Republican if he's voted for the Republican candidate in every election all through his life. You could also say you have a lifelong hatred of green vegetables if you've refused broccoli and spinach since you first ate solid food. The word lifelong, meaning "continuing for a lifetime," was coined in the nineteenth century.
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.
They made pizza and played video games and rode Walters’ motorcycle, sparking a lifelong interest.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Being able to quantify the lifelong impact of student debt could have an impact on how Americans think about the “return on investment” of borrowing for higher education.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Infants with the condition can have lifelong complications, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Meanwhile, actor and artist RiRia has a lifelong devotion to punk fashion, curating a Hysteric Glamour wardrobe bursting with color, energy and attitude.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Birds built nests, raccoons mated, foxes called to each other, seeking again their lifelong mates.
From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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.
