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

Sometimes, AI really can be a matter of life and death.

From Salon • Aug. 15, 2024

For Adnan Khamis, the move to Derry was a matter of life and death, as he and his family fled the civil war in his native Syria.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2024

I was told to come back in about a week’s time, as my case was not a matter of life and death.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane