life spans

noun

plural of life span
as in durations
the period during which something exists, lasts, or is in progress I saw no need to pay more for a better-built computer that would just grow obsolete before the end of its life span

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of life spans Why The Type Of Bulb Matters Different types of bulbs use different amounts of energy and have varying life spans. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026 And 47% of Gen Zers say traditional retirement planning does not sufficiently account for longer life spans, according to TIAA. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026 Laboratory studies have shown that rapamycin could extend the life spans of yeast and mice—but, in a recent randomized human trial, older adults on the medication didn’t seem to experience any physical gains. — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Within that category, repair emerged as a particularly strong theme, reflecting a growing desire for extending product life spans over continually purchasing new items. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 11 June 2026 Her life spans a century of dedication to and passion for all things creative in a lifetime of benefit to and for all. — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026 What are the life spans of data centers? — Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026 In many-minded terms, an octopus’s natural life spans so many lives that the one-minded might call it unnatural or even schizophrenic. — Mandy-Suzanne Wong, Longreads, 5 Feb. 2026 The concept of Mother Earth or Mother Nature as the center of the universe and source of all life spans Indigenous cultures around the globe. — Melinda Laituri, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for life spans
  1. durations
  2. times
  3. runs
  4. lives
  5. lifetimes
Noun
  • Various studies suggest that fenugreek may help lower blood sugar levels, but the doses and durations vary.
    — Merve Ceylan, HEALTH, 28 Oct. 2026
  • China has launched four spaceplane missions since 2020, with durations of up to nine months.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of durations
Noun
  • The girls sometimes lived with their grandmother or an aunt, other times with their mother and Lasha’s father, who was a part of the sisters’ lives on and off until he was convicted of armed bank robbery in 2003.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • He has been sacked 17 times in six games, but the blame really should be on the coach for having a poor game plan.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of times
Noun
  • Heli and bike skiing expeditions take place across 17 peaks over 800 diverse runs, the highest at 2,585m above sea level.
    — Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The Brewers became the first team to score eight runs with two outs in a World Series inning, and Booser allowed four of those runs.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of runs
Noun
  • The argument is that police, fire and medical services will be cut if there is not sufficient money to pay for these essential public services — jeopardizing lives.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • And perhaps as a reaction to our hyper-digital lives, candlesticks and candelabra are interior catnip right now.
    — Francesca Perry, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of lives
Noun
  • Some researchers have linked chip manufacturing to thyroid and liver diseases, fertility problems, and cancer — an especially ironic outcome, given AI boosters’ claims that the technology will cure cancer within our lifetimes.
    — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026
  • In December 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, pledged 99% of their Facebook shares to charity during their lifetimes, to be managed through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, an LLC.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of lifetimes

Browse Nearby Words

lifespan
life spans
lifestyle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Life spans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/life%20spans. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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