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definitions

life-or-death

[lahyf-er-deth]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR life-or-death ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

life-and-death.

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RELATED WORDS

necessary, key, integral, needed, fundamental, indispensable, crucial, urgent, important, imperative, critical, significant, basic, decisive, meaningful, cardinal, heavy, name, nitty-gritty, prerequisite

Origin of life-or-death

First recorded in 1680–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for life-or-death

Contemporary Examples of life-or-death

  • A fascinating book reveals the life-or-death rush of base jumping.

    The Daily Beast logo
    The High-Flying Secrets of BASE Jumpers

    William O’Connor

    August 4, 2014

  • The fussy legal language complicates what is sometimes a life-or-death situation.

    The Daily Beast logo
    When Pro-Life Means Death

    Kitty Holland

    November 16, 2012

  • The crews of those boats would have to make the life-or-death decision themselves about how much time is “sufficient.”

    The Daily Beast logo
    Earthquake Shakes the Philippines

    Christopher Dickey

    August 31, 2012

  • Constantino-Diaz Duran reports on the eerie similarities—and the life-or-death differences.

    The Daily Beast logo
    A New Mining Nightmare

    Constantino Diaz-Duran

    November 19, 2010

  • What McEvoy uncovers is not just a big story, but a life-or-death situation involving an especially devious serial killer.

    The Daily Beast logo
    5 Hot Summer Thrillers

    David J. Montgomery

    June 4, 2009

Historical Examples of life-or-death

  • It was a punishment that satisfied both sides of the life-or-death argument.

    The Penal Cluster

    Ivar Jorgensen (AKA Randall Garrett)

  • Brigham struck out as if he comprehended that this was a life-or-death matter.

    An Autobiography of Buffalo Bill (Colonel W. F. Cody)

    Buffalo Bill (William Frederick Cody)

  • In a life-or-death matter such as now confronts us regarding the wild life of our country, it is time to speak plainly.

    Our Vanishing Wild Life

    William T. Hornaday

  • It was a life-or-death struggle with the elements--English courage and brawn pitted against the combined action of wind and sea.

  • Kenniston, unable to turn from the life-or-death business of threading the swarm, heard the Jovian fighting furiously.