Meaning in life has been examined primarily in psychology and philosophy, while its social and cultural foundations have received less integrated theoretical attention. This article identifies the mechanisms through which culture contributes to the formation, organization, and reproduction of meaning in life. Using a narrative review, the study comparatively analyzes and thematically organizes classical and contemporary sociological perspectives. Selected empirical findings are also used to clarify and support the theoretical synthesis. The analysis identifies six interrelated mechanisms: the socialization and transmission of meaning resources; the valuation and legitimation of life goals and ways of living; the cultural interpretation of experience; collective belonging and participation; the institutional distribution of opportunities and resources; and the selection and recombination of meaning resources. These mechanisms connect cultural, institutional, interactional, and lived-experience levels and operate within a broader social and historical context. The proposed framework indicates that meaning in life emerges through the interplay of cultural resources, institutional conditions, social relationships, and lived experience, while actors participate in the selection, reinterpretation, and reproduction of meaning resources. It can guide future empirical research on variations and changes in meaning in life across social groups and cultural contexts.