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
Video of the incident showed the two workers, who were wearing harnesses but didn’t have their safety lines attached to anything holding on for dear life as the scaffolding swayed and twisted uncontrollably.
—
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
At one point, Cruise dangles upside down from a plane, clinging on for dear life.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 9 Feb. 2025
Gabbard held on to this talking point, clearly crafted by her handlers, for dear life.
—The Editors, National Review, 31 Jan. 2025
Under sustained pressure on Saturday, Everton clung on for dear life, aided by Pickford, and little else until David Brooks’ 77th-minute winner.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for for dear life
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Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
At one point, Cruise dangles upside down from a plane, clinging on for dear life.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 9 Feb. 2025
Gabbard held on to this talking point, clearly crafted by her handlers, for dear life.
—The Editors, National Review, 31 Jan. 2025
Under sustained pressure on Saturday, Everton clung on for dear life, aided by Pickford, and little else until David Brooks’ 77th-minute winner.
—Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 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 14 Mar. 2025.
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