matter of life and death

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.

For them it has been a matter of life and death for decades—and that is the one thing no one is talking about.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Successfully reforming the WTO is a matter of life and death for the organisation, warns the facilitator of talks on revamping the global trade body.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

“We cannot afford to kick the can down the road,” he said in a statement, calling the rules a matter of life and death for homeowners and their neighbors.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2025

"Parliament will have sat for just 12 weeks by the time MPs vote on what is, quite literally, a matter of life and death."

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2024

I'd never imagined it would become such a matter of life and death.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda