that's the way life is

proverb

That is the way things happen.

“Near-synonyms: it is what it is, shit happens”

Similar
that's lifesuch is lifec'est la vieit is what it isshit happens
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Meanings

proverb
  1. That is the way things happen.

    Near-synonyms: it is what it is, shit happens

    Synonyms: that's life, such is life, c'est la vie, it is what it is, shit happens

  2. Certain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.

    That's the way life is, and there's no use trying to go against it.

    1935, Louis Bromfield, The Man Who Had Everything, page 279
    2 more examples

    There are no standards, no values; that's the way life is. Learn to accept it and slide with it. Stop fighting it.

    1979, Jay Edward Abrams, A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption, →ISBN, page 45

    Shit happens; that's the way life is. In fact, I want you to take an additional thousand for your efforts.

    2002, B. Eugene Ellison, Rings of the Templars, →ISBN, page 337

Synonyms & antonyms

proverbThat is the way things happen.

Similar
that's lifesuch is lifec'est la vieit is what it isshit happens
Also see
c'est la vieit is what it islife's a bitchshit happensso be itso it goessuch is lifethat's lifethat's the way the ball bouncesthat's the way the mop flopsthem's the breaks
Cite this entry
APA

that's the way life is. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that's%20the%20way%20life%20is

MLA

“that's the way life is.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that's%20the%20way%20life%20is. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “that's the way life is,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that's%20the%20way%20life%20is.

Source: that's the way life is on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.