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.
That said, there are cases of endurance athletes drinking excessive fluids, resulting in life-threatening conditions like hyponatremia, when blood sodium levels drop too low.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
One million children in Afghanistan are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition in a worsening new crisis hitting the country, the United Nations warned Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Officers treated the victim until they could be taken to a hospital with injuries that police said weren’t life-threatening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
A man and woman, both in their 20s, sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries in the collision.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 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.
