lifetime

1 of 2

noun

life·​time ˈlīf-ˌtīm How to pronounce lifetime (audio)
1
a
: the duration of the existence of a living being (such as a person or an animal) or a thing (such as a star or a subatomic particle)
2
: an amount accumulated or experienced in a lifetime
a lifetime of regrets

lifetime

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
: of long duration or continuance
lifetime legislation
3
: measured or achieved over the span of a career
a baseball player's lifetime batting average

Examples of lifetime in a Sentence

Noun a lifetime spent traveling the world It would have taken me a lifetime to read all those books. Childhood seems a lifetime ago now! a chemical with a lifetime of only a few minutes the lifetime of a planet
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Just be mindful that this option comes with a few limitations, including: The 529 plan account must be at least 15 years old; there's a lifetime rollover limit of $35,000; and the conversion counts towards the annual Roth IRA contribution limit. Amy Wagner and Steve Hruby, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024 Marcus and his wife Billi were among the first to sign The Giving Pledge, a group of super wealthy who promise to give at least half of their fortune to charitable causes during their lifetimes or in their wills. Kerry A. Dolan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Getting an Emmy award is a lifetime dream for many. Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 24 May 2021 In addition to keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops and networking, the 2019 Music Biz conference will again take time to recognize both recent and lifetime achievements. Gary Graff, Billboard, 29 Apr. 2019 See all Example Sentences for lifetime 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lifetime was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near lifetime

Cite this Entry

“Lifetime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifetime. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lifetime

noun
life·​time
ˈlīf-ˌtīm

More from Merriam-Webster on lifetime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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