Definitions

life-or-death

[lahyf-er-deth] / ˈlaɪf ərˈdɛθ /

ADJECTIVE

life-and-death

Synonyms

WEAK

all-important consequential critical crucial determining earth-shaking earth-shattering essential imperative important indispensable meaningful of vital importance paramount pivotal serious significant urgent vital vitally important

ADJECTIVE

vital

Synonyms

STRONGEST

basic critical crucial decisive fundamental imperative important indispensable integral key meaningful necessary needed significant urgent

WEAK

bottom-line cardinal coal-and-ice constitutive heavy meat-and-potatoes must-have nitty-gritty prerequisite required requisite underlined

Antonyms

STRONGEST

additional extra inessential insignificant meaningless minor needless nonessential optional secondary trivial uncritical unimportant unnecessary useless voluntary worthless

WEAK

dead dull insignficant sluggish

NOUN

necessity

Synonyms

STRONGEST

essential fundamental obligation precondition prerequisite requirement urgency

STRONG

call cause claim compulsion demand desideratum duress essence exaction exigency godsend imperative indispensability inevitability inexorableness must must-have necessary pinch privation requisite stress vitals want

WEAK

life or death needfulness no alternative no choice sine qua non undeniability vital part

Antonyms

STRONGEST

auxiliary extra trivia

WEAK

desire

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When the stakes are described in life or death terms, the mentally unstable convince themselves of their own righteous cause.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Retaining control of Hormuz is "existential, it's life or death," both as a long-term security guarantee and a crucial source of funding for post‑war reconstruction, he added.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

When it came to major cardiovascular events, quality of life, or death, researchers found little or no difference between the GLP-1 drugs and placebo.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

Later, a cardiologist explained that life or death can depend on the precise point in the heartbeat when electricity enters the body.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 15, 2025

In the autumn of 1971 a man used to come to our house, bearing confections in his pocket and hopes of ascertaining the life or death of his family.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

life-or-death

Example Sentences

Related Words