# fact of life

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fact-of-life
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something that cannot be avoided; a stark reality of existence.

## Examples

- Traffic jams are just a fact of life in this city.
- You must accept that making mistakes is a fact of life when you are learning a new language.
- While the sudden loss of funding was disappointing, the director reminded the staff that budget cuts are an unfortunate fact of life in the non-profit sector.

## Origin

The term is first recorded c. 1806. It emerged in the early 19th century as a compound of the English nouns fact and life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.