life imprisonment

British

noun

(in Britain) an indeterminate sentence always given for murder and as a maximum sentence in several other crimes. There is no remission, although the Home Secretary may order the prisoner's release on licence

"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

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.

Under Nigerian law, treason is one of the most serious criminal offences and can attract severe penalties, including life imprisonment.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

If convicted in either court he faces life imprisonment without parole.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

If convicted of misconduct in public office, Mountbatten-Windsor could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Esan, 25, was sentenced to life imprisonment for a minimum of seven years and 162 days at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Sometimes defenders have well over one hundred clients at a time; many of these clients are facing decades behind bars or life imprisonment.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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