life-or-death
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of life-or-death
First recorded in 1680–90
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.
“We are currently facing an urgent, life-or-death crisis.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025
This is the human cycle, a tale as old as time that takes on a grim new undertone in a time when matters feel very much life-or-death.
From Salon • Sep. 28, 2025
Second-year veterinary student Amber Elalem, 30, is well aware of the pressures that come with a job that often results in life-or-death decisions for beloved pets.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025
Speech after speech underlined the life-or-death nature of these decisions.
From BBC • May 13, 2025
There was a life-or-death attempt being made near my table by a couple of Neanderthals looking to collect money for a beer blast in the sculpture studio.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
