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.

That movie put Matt Damon alone on Mars and made the act of thinking through one life-or-death problem after another the engine of the story.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

This being “Primal,” they’re set upon by a group of diminutive flesh-eaters with jagged teeth, igniting a life-or-death skirmish that, miraculously, steals the viewer’s breath.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2026

“We are currently facing an urgent, life-or-death crisis.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

“Highest 2 Lowest” hits theaters Aug. 22 and features the Tony winner as a successful music mogul who faces a crisis of morality when he becomes the target of a life-or-death ransom plot.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025

It is fitting that the first great opera, composed by Monteverdi in 1607, features a hero faced with a life-or-death singing challenge in the Underworld, Orfeo.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

life-or-death

Example Sentences

Related Words