life force

noun

: élan vital

Examples of life force in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The idea of comedy as life force is what propelled the note-perfect finale. — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 29 May 2026 Tonya Lee Jaynes, the drummer, puts her entire life force into the bass and snare. — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 Priestesses once kept a sacred flame burning there day and night, believed to represent the life force of the city. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026 Conviction is the life force behind sustained performance. — Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for life force

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life force was in 1848

Rhymes for life force

See All Rhymes for life force

Browse Nearby Words

life experience
life force
life-form
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Life force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20force. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All