variants or less commonly life-or-death
: involving or culminating in life or death : vitally important as if involving life or death

Examples of life-and-death in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The trailer shows the brothers running from several life-and-death scenarios, as Vince (Bateman) drags his brother into his mess. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025 Residents learn to care for critically ill patients, a process that demands intensive hours, extensive study outside of work to prepare for cases, and the emotional resilience to confront life-and-death situations daily. Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025 Details about what happened inside remain hazy – but Walker fatally stabbed Holly Hatcher before a life-and-death fight with her husband, who had visible wounds when deputies arrived and was wearing a large bandage on his forearm during a public appearance days later. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025 In the process of turning what seemed routine into a life-and-death struggle, the entire flight team had created one of NASA’s finest moments that ranks with Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s walks on the moon nine months earlier. Don Babwin, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for life-and-death

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life-and-death was in 1804

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Life-and-death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life-and-death. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

life-and-death

adjective
: ending in life or death : deciding which will survive
a life-and-death struggle

More from Merriam-Webster on life-and-death

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