Synonyms

exist

American

[ig-zist] / ɪgˈzɪst /

verb (used without object)

to have actual being; be.

The world exists, whether you like it or not.
to have life or animation; live.
to continue to be or live.

Belief in magic still exists.

Synonyms:

remain, stay, endure, last, persist, survive, abide
to have being in a specified place or under certain conditions; be found; occur.

Hunger exists in many parts of the world.
to achieve the basic needs of existence, as food and shelter.

He's not living, he's merely existing.

exist British

/ ɪɡˈzɪst /

verb

to have being or reality; to be
to eke out a living; stay alive; survive

I can barely exist on this wage
to be living; live
to be present under specified conditions or in a specified place

sharks exist in the Pacific
philosophy
1. to be actual rather than merely possible
2. to be a member of the domain of some theory, an element of some possible world, etc
3. to have contingent being while free, responsible, and aware of one's situation

"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

Other Word Forms

exister noun
existing adjective

Etymology

Origin of exist

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin ex(s)istere “to exist, appear, emerge,” equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + sistere “to stand”

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.

Kansas City and the other 10 U.S. host cities are contending with challenges that didn’t exist when North America was awarded the World Cup in 2018.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

"The human eye is basically the best camera that could ever or will ever exist," Kelsey Young, the lead scientist for the Artemis 2 mission, told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

Regulatory shortcuts exist that would allow the FDA to skip the more laborious approval process.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Hydrothermal activity is believed to exist on the ocean floors of icy moons such as Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Ridge didn’t say so, but it was obvious that malls did not exist in his future.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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