For the life of you

Definition 1 of 1

Pro Tip 1/3

Emphasis on Frustration

Often shows frustration or impatience over not being able to do something. Slide

I can't, for the life of me, figure out this puzzle.

Pro Tip 2/3

Used for Emphasis

Adds emotional emphasis, suggesting you've tried very hard or care deeply about the effort. Slide

She couldn't understand the poem for the life of her, even after rereading it several times.

Pro Tip 3/3

Not Literal

It's an idiom, so don't take it literally; it doesn't involve actual life or death. Slide

He couldn't, for the life of him, recall where he had seen her before.

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