existence
Americannoun
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the fact or state of existing; being
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the continuance or maintenance of life; living, esp in adverse circumstances
a struggle for existence
she has a wretched existence
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something that exists; a being or entity
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everything that exists, esp that is living
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of existence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word ex(s)istentia. See exist, -ence
Explanation
Existence is the state of being alive or being real. For example, you and your best friend disagree about the existence of Bigfoot if you think it's real and your friend doesn't. The noun existence can be used many different ways, but it always has to do with being alive or with simply "being". You can talk about the survival of something as its existence, like your yo-yo club having lost so many members that its existence is in danger. The particular way you live is another meaning of existence; if you live a quiet, lonely life in the country, you could describe it as a solitary existence.
Vocabulary lists containing existence
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 1
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List 2
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List 1
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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.
See Examples For:
In its nearly 25 years of existence, the ICC has secured only six final convictions for atrocity crimes after appeals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
How developed Yosemite should be for its visitors has been a debate since the park’s existence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The existence of a private contract between the firm and the court had never been revealed before, because federal law did not require disclosure.
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026
The existence of contingency plans is not unusual.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
Was she able to eat, to sleep, to enjoy her existence in any way?
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
Sold as the ultimate work-life balance, the firm's brain microchip procedure splits a person's consciousness and memory into dual existences.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025
We have given the keys to our once-private analog existences over to the wealthiest companies in human history.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2024
Which even the military ended because it called on gay people to deny or hide their existences.
From Seattle Times ● May 8, 2024
Like, say, making portals to different existences materialize from nothing or cranking out identical slices of key lime pie for no fathomable reason.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2023
Did the birds’ insignificant little existences have any meaning at all?
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
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.
