lifer

noun

lif·​er ˈlī-fər How to pronounce lifer (audio)
Synonyms of lifernext
1
: a person sentenced to imprisonment for life
2
: a person who makes a career of one of the armed forces
3
: a person who has made a lifelong commitment (as to a way of life)

Examples of lifer in a Sentence

He was a lifer at the factory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unlike many van-lifers who move every few days, Elena and Gomez intentionally slowed down, often staying in one location for a week or more. Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025 As a music lifer, Close has been playing guitar since 13, and even toured with the Denver Broncos band overseas when that outfit was active through the early 1990s. John Wenzel, Denver Post, 29 Dec. 2025 Tony is Tony Berg, the industry lifer from the days of Bette Midler and The Rocky Horror Picture Show who has remained relevant for the half-century since. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2025 The work in question, winter’s New Dawn, is a stately tour of a woodwind lifer’s gifts. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lifer

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lifer was in 1827

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lifer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifer. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on lifer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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