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.
He announced "the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities. 66 people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition".
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
Emergency room physicians were diagnosing diabetes in severely ill people who did not know they had the disease and treating life-threatening complications for those whose disease had long gone unmanaged.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
"It was life-threatening injury and I felt scared for him. At that moment he was doing so well, he was at the top of his career and it was very difficult."
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
Unable to find the expertise they required inside the military, the officers recruited civilian divers, warning them the mission would be dangerous and potentially life-threatening, according to the senior military officers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Whenever Keisha showed worrisome symptoms, the Merritts acted as if it was a life-threatening emergency, which made me feel left out.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
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.
