life-altering

American  

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

adjective

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• life-alteringly
  adverb

Example Sentences

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

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

"Endometriosis is not 'just bad periods', it is a serious, life-altering disease that affects every part of a woman's life, from her health to her career and fertility," says Fahmida.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 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

Walker was giving Key, 51, a life-altering sum of money—and he was doing the same for his 539 other full-time employees.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

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

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan