Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

life span

American  

noun

  1. the longest period over which the life of any organism or species may extend, according to the available biological knowledge concerning it.

  2. the longevity of an individual.


life span British  

noun

  1. the period of time during which a human being, animal, machine, etc, may be expected to live or function under normal conditions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of life span

First recorded in 1915–20

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.

IBM has pivoted several times in its life span.

From Barron's • Dec. 10, 2025

These burrow-dwelling rats have a maximum life span of nearly 40 years, making them world's the longest-lived rodent.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

Technological advances may turn back aging, extending the average life span by at least a decade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

When Pes and his colleagues first visited Sardinia in the 1990s, they had speculated that the secret to the population’s longevity could be in their DNA—rare gene variants associated with an extended life span.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 20, 2024

He himself had been enmagicked as a young boy, and he knew the consequences of the action—the odd eruptions, the disruptions in thinking, the unpleasant extension of the life span.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "life span" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com