for dear life
idiom
: very tightly or quickly because of fear or danger
He was hanging/holding on to the rope for dear life.
They were running for dear life to get away from the vicious dogs.
Examples of for dear life in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tony Revolori as Zero in The Grand Budapest Hotel
The role of young lobby boy Zero often requires Revolori — who was all of 17 years old at the time of filming — to simply hang on for dear life opposite Ralph Fiennes’s hurricane of a comedic lead turn.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Jim Parsons Jim Parsons held on to his friends for dear life while posing for his prom photos in the early-'90s.
—Aja Hoggatt, EW.com, 11 May 2025
By the time Cruise — who, of course, did the stunt himself — is holding on for dear life by a seat belt, it’s become the most uncomfortable sequence for vertigo-prone viewers since Ghost Protocol (see below).
—Jason Bailey, Vulture, 24 May 2025
Often, couples may have tried to fix things at this point — through communication, therapy or simply holding on for dear life — but something feels irreversibly broken.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
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Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Jim Parsons Jim Parsons held on to his friends for dear life while posing for his prom photos in the early-'90s.
—Aja Hoggatt, EW.com, 11 May 2025
By the time Cruise — who, of course, did the stunt himself — is holding on for dear life by a seat belt, it’s become the most uncomfortable sequence for vertigo-prone viewers since Ghost Protocol (see below).
—Jason Bailey, Vulture, 24 May 2025
Often, couples may have tried to fix things at this point — through communication, therapy or simply holding on for dear life — but something feels irreversibly broken.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
Cite this Entry
“For dear life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/for%20dear%20life. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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