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Synonyms

been around

Idioms  

  1. Been present or active; especially, gained experience or sophistication. For example, This book isn't new; it's been around for many years, or This strategy won't fool Bill; he's been around. [First half of 1900s] Also see get around.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This time, the critical reaction has been around the plot and how it struggles to stay connected throughout the film.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

While carbon capture has been around for many years, it has not been widely adopted because most systems are costly and inefficient.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

Their rookie salaries would have been around $70,000, depending on where they were selected.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

America’s largest sporting-goods retailer has been around since the 1940s,, when a teenager opened a fishing supply shop in Binghamton, N.Y. with $300 in cash from his grandmother’s cookie jar.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

She was all like, “That sounds lovely; Sneaky ain’t been around in forever!”

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.