life-threatening
Americanadjective
Explanation
Something life-threatening is seriously dangerous, and it might even result in death. If someone has a life-threatening illness, it's severe enough that they may need to be hospitalized. You can reassure your mom about the injuries you got when you were hiking up a mountain by saying, "Don't worry, my sprained ankle isn't life-threatening." In other words, it's not going to kill you. Things that are more likely to be life-threatening include cancer, bad head injuries, and run-ins with grizzly bears — they can indeed threaten your life.
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.
“When our deputies arrived, they encountered a life-threatening emergency and acted without hesitation to save a man’s life,” Bartlett said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
"Emergency services attended and a man was found to have sustained injuries not believed to be life-threatening."
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
It is generally not life-threatening, but can cause dehydration.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
The rare and life-threatening condition usually appears with little warning, according to medical experts.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Dad was watching baseball, Mom was working on her laptop, and I was experiencing a life-threatening level of boredom.
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
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.
