Standard Lemma guide

life-affirming

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: L AY1 F AH0 F ER2 M IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having a positive and uplifting effect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The film was an utterly life-affirming experience.
  • He thinks of giving to charity as a life-affirming act.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Appearing to have an optimistic quality.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • She doesn't strike me as a particularly life-affirming person.
  • These profit estimates for the next quarter don't look very life-affirming.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of French affirmation de la vie.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: həyat təsdiqləyici — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Azerbaijani: həyatı təsdiqləyən — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Chinese Mandarin: 正能量 (zhèngnéngliàng) — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Chinese Mandarin: 令人激動的 /令人激动的 (lìngrén jīdòng de) — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Danish: livsbejaende — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Finnish: kohottava — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Finnish: ylentävä — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • German: lebensbejahend — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Hungarian: életigenlő — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Italian: vivificante — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Russian: жизнеутвержда́ющий (žizneutverždájuščij) — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Swedish: livsbejakande — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Ukrainian: життєстве́рдний (žyttjestvérdnyj) — having a positive and uplifting effect
  • Ukrainian: життєстве́рджувальний (žyttjestvérdžuvalʹnyj) — having a positive and uplifting effect