for dear life
idiom
: very tightly or quickly because of fear or danger
He was hanging/holding on to the rope for dear life.
They were running for dear life to get away from the vicious dogs.
Examples of for dear life in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The mouthguard between his lips hung on for dear life.
—
Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2025
With the Padres needing an outfielder and the Reds hanging on for dear life, Preller could get aggressive and look to pry Hays away from Cincinnati sooner rather than later.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Tony Revolori as Zero in The Grand Budapest Hotel
The role of young lobby boy Zero often requires Revolori — who was all of 17 years old at the time of filming — to simply hang on for dear life opposite Ralph Fiennes’s hurricane of a comedic lead turn.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Jim Parsons Jim Parsons held on to his friends for dear life while posing for his prom photos in the early-'90s.
—Aja Hoggatt, EW.com, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
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Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2025
With the Padres needing an outfielder and the Reds hanging on for dear life, Preller could get aggressive and look to pry Hays away from Cincinnati sooner rather than later.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Tony Revolori as Zero in The Grand Budapest Hotel
The role of young lobby boy Zero often requires Revolori — who was all of 17 years old at the time of filming — to simply hang on for dear life opposite Ralph Fiennes’s hurricane of a comedic lead turn.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Jim Parsons Jim Parsons held on to his friends for dear life while posing for his prom photos in the early-'90s.
—Aja Hoggatt, EW.com, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
Cite this Entry
“For dear life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20dear%20life. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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