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Synonyms

being

American  
[bee-ing] / ˈbi ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the fact of existing; existence (as opposed to nonexistence).

  2. conscious, mortal existence; life.

    Our being is as an instantaneous flash of light in the midst of eternal night.

  3. substance or nature.

    of such a being as to arouse fear.

  4. something that exists.

    inanimate beings.

  5. a living thing.

    strange, exotic beings that live in the depths of the sea.

  6. a human being; person.

    the most beautiful being you could imagine.

  7. (initial capital letter) God.

  8. Philosophy.

    1. that which has actuality either materially or in idea.

    2. absolute existence in a complete or perfect state, lacking no essential characteristic; essence.


conjunction

  1. Nonstandard. since; because; considering that (often followed by as, as how, orthat ).

    Being it's midnight, let's go home.

    Being as how you cooked supper, I'll do the dishes.

being British  
/ ˈbiːɪŋ /

noun

  1. the state or fact of existing; existence

  2. essential nature; self

    she put her whole being into the part

  3. something that exists or is thought to exist, esp something that cannot be assigned to any category

    a being from outer space

  4. a person; human being

  5. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) actuality Compare becoming

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

being Idioms  
  1. see for the moment (time being); other things being equal.


Other Word Forms

  • nonbeing noun
  • superbeing noun

Etymology

Origin of being

First recorded in 1250–1300; be + -ing 1

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.

"I'm just enjoying being the richest woman in the world on paper while it lasts," said the 29-year-old.

From BBC

In 2024, Edinburgh city officials had to find a solution to drivers being repeatedly sent down a set of steps by their satnavs.

From BBC

"So in 20 years of being buried... it is likely there's an awful lot of it that has been destroyed."

From BBC

Monaldi Hospital, where he was being treated, said he had suffered a "sudden and irreversible worsening of his clinical condition".

From BBC

So you have Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland—Poland being outside of the euro area.

From The Wall Street Journal