life
gb/lˈaɪf/ us/lˈaɪf/
A2
English
~ 200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
state
1
State of being alive
The state of being alive, not dead.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s life
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'life' (noun) with 'live' (verb). For example, 'I life in London' is incorrect; it should be 'I live in London'.
Synonyms
existence (More general; can refer to non-living things too.)
Antonyms
death (The end of being alive.)
Collocations
save a life
|lose one's life
|risk your life
|full of life
|life and death
Themes
biology
|daily life
|philosophy
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Doctors fought to save his life after the accident.
- Without water, life on Earth would not exist.
- She risked her life to rescue the child.
Learner examples
- He is fighting for his life in the hospital.
- Water is important for life.
- She saved the man's life.
Noun
A2
quantity
2
Time from birth to death
The time from when someone is born until they die.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s life
Synonyms
lifetime (Refers to the whole span of a person's or thing's existence.)
Antonyms
afterlife (A belief in existence after death, opposite in temporal scope.)
Collocations
throughout her life
|early life
|later in life
|life story
Themes
daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He spent his whole life in the same village.
- Her early life was full of hardship.
- In later life, he became a respected teacher.
Learner examples
- He lived a long life.
- Her life began in a small town.
- My grandfather had a happy life.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Experience and activities of living
All the things that happen to someone during their time alive.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s life
Synonyms
lifestyle (Focuses more on habitual way of living rather than the whole experience.)
Antonyms
isolation (A state without social or active engagement.)
Collocations
family life
|social life
|love life
|way of life
Themes
daily life
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He leads a busy social life.
- Travel has always been an important part of her life.
- They built a new life together in the city.
Learner examples
- I have a happy family life.
- She has a busy school life.
- He started a new life in another country.
Noun
B1
entity
4
All living things collectively
All plants, animals, and people that are alive.
Synonyms
organisms (Scientific term for living things, used in biology.)
Antonyms
inanimate matter (Things without life or biological processes.)
Collocations
marine life
|plant life
|intelligent life
Themes
biology
|environment
|science
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Scientists are searching for signs of life on Mars.
- Marine life is threatened by pollution.
- Forests support a rich variety of plant and animal life.
Learner examples
- There is no life on the moon.
- Fish are part of sea life.
- We must protect wild life.
Noun
B1
property
5
Vitality or energy in something
Energy and excitement in a person or thing.
Synonyms
vitality (Formal term for physical or mental energy.)
Antonyms
dullness (Lack of energy or excitement.)
Collocations
full of life
|bring to life
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She’s full of life and always smiling.
- The music brought the party to life.
- His paintings seem to have a life of their own.
Learner examples
- The baby is full of life.
- Music brings me to life.
- The garden is full of life.
Grammar
Dictionary form
life
IPA
GB/lˈaɪf/
US/lˈaɪf/
Syllables & stress
life (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (life)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: life
- Plural: life, lives
Word family
Expressions
quality of life
1/kwˈɑləti əv lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Level of comfort and happiness someone has
How comfortable, happy, and healthy someone is in their life.
Examples
- Good healthcare improves people's quality of life.
- They moved to the countryside for a better quality of life.
real-life
1/ɹˈil lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Existing in reality, not fiction
Happening in the real world, not in a book or movie.
Examples
- The movie is based on a real-life story.
- In real-life situations, things aren’t always simple.
risk one's life
1/ɹˈɪsk wˈʌnz lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Do something very dangerous that could cause death
To do something that might cause you to die.
Examples
- Firefighters risk their lives every day.
- He risked his life to save the child.
save someone's life
1/sˈeɪv sˈʌmwˌʌnz lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Prevent someone from dying
To stop someone from dying by helping them.
Examples
- Quick action saved her life after the accident.
- The doctors saved his life.
bring to life
1/bɹˈɪŋ tə lˈaɪf/
idiom
Make more lively or realistic
To make something more interesting, lively, or realistic.
Examples
- The teacher used pictures to bring the lesson to life.
- The actor's performance brought the character to life.
- Her voice brings the character to life.
- Her descriptions brought the story to life for the children.
bring to life
2/bɹˈɪŋ tə lˈaɪf/
idiom
Make something seem real or lively
To make something feel real, interesting, or full of energy.
Examples
- The director used animation to bring the characters to life.
- Her storytelling really brought the history lesson to life.