life event
Birth or marriage
A life event is a significant occurrence that marks a transition or milestone in someone's personal history: birth, marriage, divorce, death, job loss, retirement, moving to a new home.
The term appears frequently in insurance, benefits administration, and psychology, where life events trigger eligibility changes or require adjustment: A qualifying life event lets you change your health insurance outside open enrollment.
Major life events—whether positive or negative—are associated with stress and adaptation.
Marriage rite and feast
- graduationCompleting academic requirements formally
- birthComing into the world
- retirementLeaving the workforce permanently
- promotionRank increase or publicity
engagement · anniversary · divorce · relocation · coming of age · quinceañera · bar mitzvah · bat mitzvah
State following loss
- deathCessation of life
- miscarriagePregnancy lost naturally
- divorceLegal end of matrimony
- separationState of being apart
layoff · bankruptcy · diagnosis · disability · displacement · foreclosure · widowhood · estrangement
Ceremonial set of actions
- commencementAct of starting
- inaugurationFormal beginning ceremony
- convocationFormal ceremonial gathering
- investitureCeremony conferring rank
induction · dedication · consecration · coronation · funeral · memorial · reception · procession
Successful completion of aim
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- successFavorable outcome attained
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
- victoryDefeating an opponent
attainment · fulfillment · recognition · distinction · accolade · completion · feat · realization
Emotionally affecting
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- immigrationRelocating abroad permanently
- career changeMoving to different occupation
- empty nestHome without children anymore
midlife · downsizing · uprooting · resettlement · repatriation · gap year · sabbatical
wedding
Marriage rite and feast
- graduationCompleting academic requirements formally
- birthComing into the world
- retirementLeaving the workforce permanently
promotion · engagement · anniversary · divorce · relocation · coming of age · quinceañera · bar mitzvah · bat mitzvah · confirmation
bereavement
State following loss
- deathCessation of life
- miscarriagePregnancy lost naturally
- divorceLegal end of matrimony
separation · layoff · bankruptcy · diagnosis · disability · displacement · foreclosure · widowhood · estrangement · tragedy
ritual
Ceremonial set of actions
- commencementAct of starting
- inaugurationFormal beginning ceremony
- convocationFormal ceremonial gathering
investiture · induction · dedication · consecration · coronation · funeral · memorial · reception · procession · rite of passage
accomplishment
Successful completion of aim
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- successFavorable outcome attained
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
victory · attainment · fulfillment · recognition · distinction · accolade · completion · feat · realization · conquest
moving
Emotionally affecting
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
- immigrationRelocating abroad permanently
- career changeMoving to different occupation
empty nest · midlife · downsizing · uprooting · resettlement · repatriation · gap year · sabbatical
- inner changepersonal growth, mindset shift, attitude change, perspective shift, self-discovery
- life stagesbaby, teenager, adult, childhood, adolescence
life eventnon-event
Disappointing lack of significance
small stuff · triviality · minutiae · banality · trifle
life eventdaily routine
Recurring set of activities
habit · routine · daily grind · ordinary day · same old same old
life eventstatus quo
Existing condition of affairs
stasis · continuity · normalcy · stability · sameness
life, alive, event, lifetime, lifestyle, lifelong, livelihood, lifelike, lifeline