What does "lifeline" mean?
A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling.
Lifeline
/ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling.
- Grammar: lifeline is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: aegis, anchor, arm guard, backstop.
- Useful contrasts: burden, danger, hazard.
- Usage evidence: Once used mostly for corporate meetings, video conferences have suddenly become the lifeline connecting isolated friends, co-workers, and family members.
How to use "lifeline"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lifeline" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lifeline" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lifeline" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lifeline" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lifeline" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aegis" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lifeline", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A line to which a drowning or falling victim may cling.
- 2 line thrown from a vessel that people can cling to in order to save themselves from drowning wordnet
- 3 A source of salvation in a crisis. broadly
"The girls, of course, were my lifeline during this time."
- 4 line that raises or lowers a deep-sea diver wordnet
- 5 A means or route for transporting indispensable supplies.
"Planners did not see the access routes as west Berlin's sole lifeline, which now seems instinctive to us."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something (often by providing an essential connection) wordnet
- 7 A system or structure of vital importance to a community.
- 8 a crease on the palm; its length is said by palmists to indicate how long you will live wordnet
- 9 On the deck of a boat, a line to which one can attach oneself to stay aboard on rough seas.
- 10 A line from the diver to a tender at the surface control point.
- 11 A particular crease in the palm.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Once used mostly for corporate meetings, video conferences have suddenly become the lifeline connecting isolated friends, co-workers, and family members."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lifeline"?
Common synonyms include: aegis, anchor, arm guard, backstop, bolt hole, bolt-hole.
How do you use "lifeline" in a sentence?
Once used mostly for corporate meetings, video conferences have suddenly become the lifeline connecting isolated friends, co-workers, and family members.
How do you pronounce "lifeline"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/.
Etymology
From life + line.