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

The band is pitched right at a difficult juncture at which their artistic ambitions abut real, life-altering attention.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 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

While the film takes a clever yet light bit of finagling to find online, it’s worth the search: “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

Dear Diary, When we began our lesson about the importance of racial tolerance, I had no idea that that lesson would be a life-altering experience.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers