quality of life

noun phrase

: overall enjoyment of life : general well-being

… the male characters on the show not only have a better chance of survival; they're also more likely to improve their quality of life through friendship.

—Juliet Lapidos

specifically : the degree to which a person or group is healthy, comfortable, and able to enjoy the activities of daily living

Migraine is a common disorder that can severely affect patients' quality of life and daily function.

—New England Journal of Medicine

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

A number of recent surveys have identified noise as New York City's greatest quality-of-life issue.

—Tom Vanderbilt

—abbreviation QOL

Examples of quality of life in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This includes more than $100 million worth of roadway improvements, as well as fire, police, pedestrian infrastructure and storm drain projects. $249 million for quality of life upgrades in Tempe neighborhoods. —Sam Kmack, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024

But there are places where achieving that same quality of life requires much lower wages, and others where families would need to bring home a much higher income. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Warwick is also getting a lot of love, with an increase to his model size and a ton of quality of life improvements. —Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

According to one systematic review, breathing exercises can help people with asthma improve their quality of life, lung function, and hyperventilation symptoms.11 Are There Any Downsides to Deep Breathing? —Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above