existing

American  

[ig-zis-ting] / ɪgˈzɪs tɪŋ /

adjective

1. already or previously in place, before being replaced, altered, or added to.

   Fundraising costs money, and recruiting new donors is more expensive than asking existing supporters to give a little more.

2. having actual being or life.

   The great ornithologist Alexander Wetmore, who died in 1978, allegedly declared that all existing species of birds had already been discovered.

3. occurring in a specified place or under specified conditions.

   Members of committees dealing with the behavior of intelligence services met to discuss the existing challenges and exchange best practices.

4. achieving only the basic needs of existence, as food and shelter.

   Forrest Bess was a marginally existing bait fisherman and artist who lived in a ramshackle cabin on the Gulf of Mexico.

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Other Word Forms

• nonexisting adjective
• unexisting adjective

Etymology

Origin of existing

exist ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

According to Zhou, this approach is accessible, easier to manage, and may cause fewer side effects than some existing therapies.

From Science Daily

With existing drugs losing effectiveness, researchers are searching for entirely new bacterial weak points.

From Science Daily

He denied ever seeing a child, acknowledging it would be in breach of existing court orders.

From BBC

The uptick in searches follows a year when sales of existing homes hit a 31-year low.

From MarketWatch

A psychiatrist and an attorney in San Diego say an existing statute could address severe mental illness and addiction.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• actual
• current
• extant