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.
A puppy is getting a new leash on life after being rescued with life-threatening facial injuries in Pasadena.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
The disorder causes constant, relentless hunger through hypothalamic dysfunction, where the brain fails to register fullness, often leading to life-threatening obesity.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Such reactions can range from responses with “no clinical manifestations” to irritating rashes to life-threatening conditions such as anaphylactic shock, which constricts breathing and impairs motor function.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
A headache can be benign or life-threatening depending on the context.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Our mind, faced with a life-threatening situation, drastically limits the range and amount of information that we have to deal with.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
