a matter of life and death

noun phrase

: something that is extremely important and often involves decisions that will determine whether someone lives or dies
Being prepared for severe weather can be a matter of life and death.

Examples of a matter of life and death in a Sentence

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Supporters say the funds are a matter of life and death. — Ali Bauman, CBS News, 26 May 2026 And in a blackout, where neither home has cooling, those differences can become a matter of life and death. — Zoltan Nagy, The Conversation, 23 June 2026 Also, there was an element of danger, and doing a scene that is really arduous, achieving an emotional peak for an amount of time and performing physical acts and screaming [about] a matter of life and death. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 13 May 2026 Visual China Group via Getty Images Things are different in Ukraine, where transporting an injured passenger is a matter of life and death. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for a matter of life and death

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Browse Nearby Words

a matter of interest
a matter of life and death
a matter of opinion
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Cite this Entry

“A matter of life and death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20matter%20of%20life%20and%20death. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of a matter of life and death for Spanish Speakers

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