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

At baseline and after the 10-week intervention, participants self-reported on pain, disability, quality of life, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and fear of movement. —New Atlas, 25 June 2025

However, this is intrinsically linked to California’s economic dynamism, desirability and the high demand for its quality of life, amenities and progressive social environment. —Deandre Evans, Mercury News, 25 June 2025

The Citizens Budget Commission’s recent survey, Straight From New Yorkers, paints a stark picture with residents rating quality of life, public services, and safety well below pre-pandemic levels. —Andrew Rein, New York Daily News, 25 June 2025

The data included a comparison between GDP per capita to happiness rating, the quality of life, and the economic freedom in each country. —Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quality of life

• afterlife
• pocketknife
• alewife
• birdlife
• folklife
• housewife
• jackknife
• loosestrife
• midlife
• midwife
• nightlife
• penknife