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

The move would strongly suggest "the need for the US to compensate for its heavy use of existing missile defence capabilities in the Middle East", Professor John Nilsson-Wright of Cambridge University told the BBC.

From BBC

They say the investments are needed to bring new power plants online and ease bottlenecks on the existing grid.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the fact remains that in general Parisians appreciate the change and thank the existing team.

From BBC

Adobe has integrated third-party AI models into existing products such as Photoshop and Premiere Pro, and launched its own AI product, Firefly.

From The Wall Street Journal

Focus Features, Universal Pictures’ specialty film arm, will keep its existing theatrical exclusivity policies, which vary on a case-by-case basis.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• actual
• current
• extant