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Synonyms

life jacket

American  

noun

  1. a sleeveless jacket of buoyant or inflatable construction, for supporting the wearer in deep water and preventing drowning.

life jacket British  

noun

  1. an inflatable sleeveless jacket worn to keep a person afloat when in danger of drowning

"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 jacket

First recorded in 1865–70

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.

It is the only life jacket from one of the survivors ever to be put up for sale, with auctioneers describing the rare item as a "once in a lifetime opportunity for collectors".

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

"He swam, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on," Bresland told national broadcaster ABC.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

The youngster said he started heading for shore with just his life jacket but later abandoned it to swim unencumbered.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

"He swam in, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on," he told ABC News.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

And I’d be floating alone three hundred and fifteen miles from shore in a life jacket.

From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.