lifestyle

American  

[lahyf-stahyl] / ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl /

Or life style,

noun

• lifestyles
  plural

1. the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or catering to a certain lifestyle.

   unhealthy lifestyle choices; lifestyle advertising; a luxury lifestyle hotel.

2. (of a drug) used to treat a medical condition that is not life-threatening or painful.

   lifestyle drugs for baldness.

lifestyle British  

/ ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl /

noun

1. a set of attitudes, habits, or possessions associated with a particular person or group

2. such attitudes, etc, regarded as fashionable or desirable

3. 1. a luxurious semirural manner of living

   2. ( as modifier )

      a lifestyle property

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adjective

1. suggestive of a fashionable or desirable lifestyle

   a lifestyle café

2. (of a drug) designed to treat problems, such as impotence or excess weight, which affect a person's quality of life rather than his or her health

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lifestyles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lifestyle

First recorded in 1925–30; life + style

Explanation

Your lifestyle is how you live, and it reflects who you are. You might try to look cool by adopting a rock star lifestyle of partying every night and sleeping all day, but you'd probably get pretty tired. A lifestyle can also reflect your attitude or your personal values. For example, you might have a very conservative lifestyle, which means you don't spend money on anything trivial or unnecessary, and you don't engage in silly activities. A glamorous lifestyle means you indulge in upscale, high-profile pursuits and live luxuriously. If you've got some bad habits, your doctor might encourage you to adopt a healthier lifestyle, and get more exercise and eat more carefully.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lifestyle lifestyles

Although many were clutching their pearls over what the U.K. tabloids dubbed Megxit, Prince Harry and Markle used their time on the golden coast to tackle a variety of lifestyle, media and entertainment projects.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

She is a lifestyle reporter and lives in Brooklyn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

It’s a lifestyle not entirely dissimilar to the rigorous training of an ice-skating prodigy, putting in the work at all hours to hone their skill.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026

But I know there's still a long way to go and you have to commit to change your whole lifestyle.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Their itinerant, artistic lifestyle appealed to him: Moody was a romantic at heart.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Fame is a bedfellow of the newer, more modern American dream, which promises not only contentment, but success, as a reward for ambition, ravaging the lifestyles of millions of people in the process.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026

As these relationships developed in different places, dogs acquired specialized characteristics suited to the environments, lifestyles and needs of the people around them.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

The ritzy neighbourhood was made globally famous by K-pop star Psy's 2012 hit single "Gangnam Style" -- lauding the lifestyles of its ultra-rich residents.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

News in March, the actor said that being able to spend time in both locales had been wonderful for his children, because it effectively gave them a real taste of two totally different lifestyles.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

As some sociologists and marketing consultants see it, the commonly accepted big three—the upper, middle, and working classes—have broken down into dozens of microclasses, defined by occupations or lifestyles.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• behavior