lifeline

American  

[lahyf-lahyn] / ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn /

noun

• lifelines
  plural

1. a line, fired across a ship or boat, by means of which a hawser for a breeches buoy may be hauled aboard.

2. a line or rope for saving life, as one attached to a lifeboat.

3. any of various lines running above the decks, spars, etc., of a ship or boat to give sailors something to grasp when there is danger of falling or being washed away.

4. a wire safety rope supported by stanchions along the edge of the deck of a yacht.

5. the line by which a diver is lowered and raised.

6. any of several anchored lines used by swimmers for support.

7. a route or means of transportation or communication for receiving or delivering food, medicine, or assistance.

   This road is the town's lifeline and must be kept open despite the snow.

8. assistance at a critical time.

---

lifeline British  

/ ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a line thrown or fired aboard a vessel for hauling in a hawser for a breeches buoy

2. any rope or line attached to a vessel or trailed from it for the safety of passengers, crew, swimmers, etc

3. a line by which a deep-sea diver is raised or lowered

4. a vital line of access or communication

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lifelines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lifeline

First recorded in 1690–1700; life + line ¹

Explanation

A lifeline is a safety feature on a boat, a rope that either protects you from falling off or that you can throw to someone who's drowning. If you stumble off your friend's sailboat into the water, she'll throw you a lifeline. When sailors need to rescue a swimmer or a clumsy passenger, it helps to have a lifeline handy. And when you receive other kinds of vital support or help — a mobile phone, or a job recommendation, or a scholarship for college, for example — you can also call them lifelines. This figurative meaning has been around since the 19th century, while the "live-saving rope" definition is the earliest one, from about 1700.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lifeline lifelines

As such, it offers a lifeline to millions of poor and elderly Ukrainians living in remote villages where shops are rare and trips to the city are expensive and dangerous.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Long Island mother-of-two Linda Mancuso's disabled son Michael, 23, lost a Haitian aide his mother considers a "lifeline"

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

Heavily indebted Senegal received a $2.2 billion lifeline from the IMF earlier this week.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

“The naval blockade remains in full force and effect, and Operation Economic Outcast is underway to sever every remaining economic lifeline sustaining the regime.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

But his jaw is clenched, and his hands are fisted together like each is a lifeline for the other.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Rachel Mulrenan, Ramblers' campaigns manager, said local paths were "lifelines" which connected people with green space, fresh air, and mental and physical health.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

"But there is also a serious point about how we communicate with each other and how these phone boxes are often vital rural lifelines."

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The construction workers "lacked safety gear" like hardhats, boots, safety belts and lifelines, and worked under poor lighting and with no visible safety signages, she added.

From Barron's ● May 25, 2026

The U.A.E. has threatened to freeze billions of dollars of Iranian assets held in the Gulf state, The Wall Street Journal has reported, a move that could sever one of Tehran’s most important economic lifelines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

The lifelines in my father’s palms were named after Caroline and me.

From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat