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.

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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

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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

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

Mariano Machado, an analyst at the consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft, warned that "any gap between the macroeconomic situation and voters' everyday experience with the cost of living will influence the vote, and Lula knows it."

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

Rana's case had sparked a debate in India around the ethics of court-approved passive euthanasia, with some noting that it goes against the principle of self-determination, which is the foundation of a living will.

From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

And remember: hard work and healthy living will keep one free of sickness.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool