c'est la vie

[se la vee] / sɛ la ˈvi /

INTERJECTION

it is written

Synonyms

WEAK

it is fated it's in the cards oh well que sera sera such is life that's how the cookie crumbles that's life that's reality what will be will be

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.

“I think if a guy doesn’t want to be here for whatever reason, then c’est la vie, it’s all good.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2023

The term never caught on — ut c’est la vie.

From The Verge • May 31, 2022

There was little other action on the Senate floor as the hours passed, even as the Assembly chugged along with various minor bills and a vague sense of c’est la vie.

From New York Times • Jun. 21, 2018

Beautiful hair came at a price, but I figured a scalp dotted with blisters was mine: c’est la vie.

From The Guardian • Feb. 4, 2017

The French version of the same idea is in no way inferior to the Greek: On entre, on crie, Et c'est la vie!

From Political and Literary essays, 1908-1913 by Baring, Evelyn