for their life

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "for their life" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to someone expending a large amount of effort or resources to achieve something. For example: "The team worked tirelessly for their lives to win the competition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Running for their life!

The New Yorker

It's a metaphor for their life".

The New York Times

"Everyone was running for their life".

The New York Times

"It was the jockeys who feared for their life.

The New York Times

Aerobic organisms require oxygen for their life processes.

University of California, Berkeley

Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?

Yale University

"I help build their plan for their life," she said.

The New York Times

Hammerhead sharks, it seems, will fight for their life.

The Guardian

I personally have nothing against the gays Except for their life style, sexuality, and muscle tone.

The New Yorker

Most of these agents do not require a human host for their life cycles.

Encyclopedia Britannica

No one knows what someone is capable of until they are fighting for their life.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you mean to convey that someone's existence is dependent on something, use "for their life".

Common error

Avoid using "for their life" in contexts that don't genuinely involve a threat to life or a comparable level of urgency. Overusing it can diminish its impact and sound hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for their life" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase, often acting as an adverbial modifier. It indicates the reason or purpose behind an action, emphasizing the high stakes involved. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "for their life" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that functions as an adverbial modifier, as validated by Ludwig. It serves to amplify the intensity of a situation, often relating to survival or significant effort. As evidenced by the diverse examples from Ludwig, this phrase appears most commonly in news and media, academic writing, and scientific publications, suggesting its wide applicability across different registers. Remember to reserve "for their life" for scenarios where the stakes are genuinely high to maintain its intended impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for their survival

Focuses specifically on the act of staying alive.

for their existence

Emphasizes the state of being alive or continuing to exist.

to save their life

Highlights the action taken to prevent death.

fighting for their life

Specifically describes a struggle to remain alive.

running for their life

Describes fleeing a dangerous situation to survive.

for the sake of their life

Emphasizes the value or importance of their own life.

to preserve their life

Highlights the act of protecting their life from harm.

for their livelihood

Focuses on securing the means to live and sustain themselves.

for their well-being

Encompasses a broader concept of health, happiness and prosperity, not just survival.

exerting every effort

Focuses on making maximal effort to achieve something (related to 'for their life' when life is at stake).

FAQs

How can I use "for their life" in a sentence?

You can use "for their life" to describe situations where someone is fighting to survive or putting in an extreme amount of effort. For example, "They were "running for their life"" or "The company was battling "for their survival"".

What does it mean when someone says they are "fighting for their life"?

When someone says they are "fighting for their life", it usually means they are in a dire situation, either physically (battling a severe illness) or metaphorically (struggling against overwhelming odds to save something important).

Is it correct to say "for its life" instead of "for their life"?

The correct pronoun depends on the subject. Use "for its life" when referring to a singular, non-human entity or an object. Use "for their life" when referring to multiple people or a group.

What are some phrases similar to "for their life"?

Alternatives include ""for their survival"", "to save their life", or "fighting for their life", each carrying a slightly different emphasis on the aspect of survival or intense effort.