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Life

/ˈlaɪ̯f/ · noun

Meaning

(uncountable) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living..

Definitions by Sense

  1. (uncountable) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living.
  2. The animating principle or force that keeps an inorganic thing or concept metaphorically alive (dynamic, relevant, etc) and makes it a "living document", "living constitution", etc.
  3. Lifeforms, generally or collectively.
  4. (countable) A living being; the fact of a particular individual being alive. (Chiefly when indicating individuals were lost (died) or saved.)
  5. Existence.
  6. A period of time during which something has existence.
  7. Animation; spirit; vivacity.
  8. A biography.

Example Sentences

I want my kids to live a good life.  He gave up on life.
My bloodleſſe bodie waxeth chill and colde, And with my blood my life ſlides through my wound, My ſoule begins to take her flight to hell, And ſummones all my ſences to depart: […]
The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience.
It's life, but not as we know it. She discovered plant life on the planet. The rover discovered signs of life on the alien world.
Many lives were lost during the war. Her quick thinking saved many dogs' lives.
One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination.
Life is meaningless and we are all going to die.
Man's life on this planet has been marked by continual conflict.

Synonyms for life

existenceexperiencethe world in generalGod's lifespiritalivenessanimationlivelinesslivinglifetimesprightlinessbiographylifespanlife historylife story

Antonyms for life

deathcomavoid

Related Words

spiritlifespananimationlivinglifetimelife historylife storybiographyalivenesslivelinesssprightlinesspersonalageanimaworldexistencelifestyleexperiencerealitysoul

Word Forms

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does life mean?

Life means (uncountable) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living..

What is a synonym for life?

Common synonyms include existence, experience, the world in general, God's life.

What is the opposite of life?

Possible antonyms include death, coma, void.

How do you use life in a sentence?

I want my kids to live a good life.  He gave up on life.

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.