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

Once three- to six-month stockpiles are depleted, drugs needed to sustain life or even quality of life would become expensive and perhaps unavailable. —Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025

This action is taken for just cause and will restore integrity, enabling Police Chief Brian Wright, the Command Staff, and Department personnel to move beyond the unnecessary distractions caused by his actions and refocus on public safety and quality of life issues in our community. —Staff Reports, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2025

According to Medtronic, as people live longer, the focus is shifting toward enhancing not just lifespan but quality of life. —Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Last year, WalletHub also ranked Scottsdale among the top retirement cities, mainly for its high quality of life and the variety of activities. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 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