Meanings
nounlifeboat ethics (uncountable)
- uncountableA system of ethics based on "first come, first served" or "every man for himself" rather than the fair distribution of resources.
Synonyms: lifeboatism
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA system of ethics based on "first come, first served" or "every man for himself" rather than the fair distribution of resources.
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Origin
Proposed by the ecologist Garrett Hardin, who gave the example of a lifeboat that can hold 50 people but is surrounded by 100 swimmers.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
lifeboat ethics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lifeboat%20ethics
MLA
“lifeboat ethics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lifeboat%20ethics. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lifeboat ethics,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lifeboat%20ethics.
Source: lifeboat ethics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.