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

Recent survey data suggests many people believe the traditional American Dream has become increasingly difficult to achieve, while younger generations are placing greater value on flexibility, purpose, and quality of life alongside financial success. —Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

Isbell said that the community at large needs to push for federal funding to fund research, advocacy, and patient programs to help improve the quality of life of the people diagnosed with a brain tumor. —Brian Hackney, CBS News, 14 June 2026

Silver said state workers are asking for flexibility in a state where affordability and quality of life are becoming harder every year. —William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026

None of this is to argue that Pittsburgh and other communities should not work to improve the quality of life for their residents, which, if successful, can generate population gains in the future. —Christopher Briem, The Conversation, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quality of life

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