exist
verb (used without object)
to have actual being; be.
existed
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past participleof exist.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof exist.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
existverb (used without object)to have actual being; be.
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.
There’s an ironic disconnect when a town calls itself “Polar Bear Capital of the World” — it’s not like these creatures, who existed long before us, get to be in charge of anything.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
At the beginning, we were none of us technological visionaries, but I at least had been online for a while, since even before the web itself existed.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2026
The current Oval Office has existed since the early 1930s, after its conception by President Franklin D Roosevelt.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Because so many populations collapsed before scientists knew the fungus existed, determining whether it was responsible has been particularly difficult.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
My back cracks in places I didn’t even know existed.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
