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

Nationally, Elgin also came in at No. 122 on the magazine’s 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. based on an evaluation that considers everything from affordability and quality of life to job market strength and overall desirability. —Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025

Along with reducing unsheltered homelessness, these communities also have addressed public safety and quality of life issues around interim housing sites, indicating that the funds have yielded a high return on investment. —Devan Patel, Mercury News, 13 June 2025

Thoughtful community planning and quality of life must be key considerations before reducing lot sizes to accommodate greater density. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025

But chemotherapy has also ravaged Tennant’s body and his quality of life. —Lauren Sausser, NBC news, 12 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