living will

American  

noun

• living wills
  plural

1. a document instructing physicians, relatives, or others to refrain from the use of extraordinary measures, as life-support equipment, to prolong one's life in the event of a terminal illness.

---

living will British  

noun

1. a document stating that if its author becomes terminally ill, his or her life should not be prolonged by artificial means, such as a life-support machine

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• living wills
  plural

Etymology

Origin of living will

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

living will

Since the war began in late February, year-on-year inflation in Brazil has increased steadily, and the rising cost of living will be a primary issue in the campaign ahead of October's presidential election.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

Also called an advance directive, a living will sets forth your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or tube feeding, if you are unable to make decisions on your own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

But I was on point with let’s go get a living will and trust.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

If the prime minister does secure a majority, the stagnant wages, the weak yen and cost of living will be her most immediate and biggest challenges.

From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026

Soon after, the swollen ocean will swallow the ashes as it washes across all the land, and everything living will be forgotten under the sunless sky.

From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman