Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

lifework

American  
[lahyf-wurk] / ˈlaɪfˈwɜrk /

noun

  1. the complete or principal work, labor, or task of a lifetime.


Etymology

Origin of lifework

First recorded in 1870–75; life + work


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

There followed a long period when silent films were virtually unmarketable, and the lifework of many actors and directors disappeared into warehouses or dissolved into silver.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

With his other great lifework, on behalf of the natural world, Grinnell accomplished much.

From New York Times ● Jul. 24, 2019

Wiener’s lifework and his failure to predict its consequences are intimately bound up in the idea of an impending technological singularity.

From Slate ● Feb. 28, 2019

"They feel that Disney is undoing their lifework of conserving wild animals for future open seasons."

From Time ● Aug. 8, 2017

Now tell me why we have no papers, no printed materials written by this great artist about his lifework?

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training