life-altering

American

[lahyf-awl-ter-ing] / ˈlaɪfˌɔl tər ɪŋ /

adjective

resulting in a major and usually negative or challenging change in one's life (typically used of an injury, diagnosis, or the like.). Compare life-changing.

Other Word Forms

life-alteringly

adverb

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.

Noa-Rose, who is now seven, is among the one in five survivors left with life-altering conditions, including epilepsy, fatigue and developmental delay.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Did we reward him for this stupendous, life-altering, lifesaving discovery?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Aside from medical ailments, you may sense that long-ago unresolved issues — ruptured relationships, grievous losses, life-altering decisions — undermine your well-being in subtle but significant ways.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

“A Diva’s Christmas Carol” is a life-altering, life-affirming event movie to rival even the best Dickens alteration.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

Inside, cushioned in velvet lining, was a terrifying, life-altering, incredibly important... piece of wood.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

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