life-threatening

[lahyf-thret-ning, -thret-n-ing] / ˈlaɪfˌθrɛt nɪŋ, -ˌθrɛt n ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

very dangerous

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deadly lethal mortal serious severe

WEAK

capital critical hazardous threatening touch and go unsafe

Antonyms

STRONGEST

harmless invigorating

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.

Some prostate tumours do not needed treating immediately and may never be life-threatening, which is part of why widespread screening is not being recommended.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

"If these findings are confirmed in Phase III trials, we may finally be able to offer patients a targeted therapy that halts and potentially reverses liver damage before it progresses to life-threatening stages."

From Science Daily • May 27, 2026

While there were exceptions, such as “a life-threatening physical condition aggravated by, caused by, or arising from a pregnancy,” exactly how and when such an exception would be honored were unclear.

From Salon • May 26, 2026

A life-threatening brain swelling she experienced in response to her early immunotherapy would have made her ineligible for the treatment.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Our mind, faced with a life-threatening situation, drastically limits the range and amount of information that we have to deal with.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell