bucket list

noun

: a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying

Examples of bucket list in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The park’s robust lodging ranges from basic campsites to posh private cabins, and its annual Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival is bucket list-worthy. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026 The flora and fauna that make the Galápagos a bucket list destination spill into coastal Peru, where creatures like green turtles and blue footed boobies are sighted regularly. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 Other lifelong regrets included not taking spontaneous trips without overthinking it (21%), going to bucket list destinations (17%) and saying 'yes’ to adventures rather than prioritizing work (14%). — Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Cage fan Michael Barnett, 55, from Glasgow, Scotland, said attending the chord change was a bucket list item. — Stefanie Dazio, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bucket list

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase kick the bucket (to die)

First Known Use

2006, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bucket list was in 2006

Rhymes for bucket list

See All Rhymes for bucket list

Browse Nearby Words

bucketline
bucket list
bucketload
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bucket list.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bucket%20list. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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