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life in the fast lane

life in the fast lane

5 5.2
A way of spending time that is exciting, fast, and often risky
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : vida en el carril rápido
  • Didn't she know about deadlines and life in the fast lane?
  • live life in the fast lane

Examples

  • They don't know anything about their grandmother and the life in the fast lane.

  • Life in the fast lane.

  • And here I was thinking you live life in the fast lane.

  • So the normal state, you know, living in the fast lane and this, this sport state where you live very slowly, but for very long.

  • This is this is just life in the fast lane in the tech game on YouTube.

  • You're missing life in the fast lane, aren't you?

  • Many celebrities enjoy life in the fast lane, often attending glamorous parties and events.

  • Living life in the fast lane means taking risks and embracing excitement at every turn.

  • After years of working a 9-to-5 job, he decided to experience life in the fast lane by traveling the world.

Synonyms

fast lane
vslife in the fast lane
  • Informal
7 5.8

A very busy, exciting life that often brings risk and pressure

is more about seeking thrill and risk than glamour or pressure
in the fast lane
vslife in the fast lane
  • Informal
6 6.4

Living a life full of excitement and danger

focuses more on thrill and pleasure seeking rather than danger
fast-paced lifestyle
vslife in the fast lane
1 4.2

A way of living with constant activity and little time to rest

stresses excitement and risky pleasure rather than only urgency

Antonyms

721 1.0

Not interesting and making you feel tired or impatient

1 3.9

A relaxed way of life with less stress and hurry

How Exciting

life in the fast lane
  • Informal
5 5.2
busyness
4 3.0
dailiness
1 5.6
quietude
  • Literature
3 8.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

life + in + the + fast + lane

The literal components ('life' + 'in' + 'fast' + 'lane') readily suggest a life lived quickly or on a rapid path, so a B1 learner who knows the words can infer the general idea. However, the fuller idiomatic connotations of risk-taking, pleasure-seeking and culturally specific nuance go beyond literal composition and are not fully predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Life in the fast lane comes from the image of the fast lane on a road where cars go very fast. If you 'live' there, your life moves quickly and with danger, so the phrase means 'a lifestyle that is exciting and often risky'.