nonexistent
Britishadjective
-
not having being or existence
-
not present under specified conditions or in a specified place
Other Word Forms
- nonexistence noun
Explanation
Something that's nonexistent doesn't really exist. When your cat hisses at her reflection in the mirror, she's attacking a nonexistent enemy. The adjective nonexistent describes something that's not real. Your nonexistent problems are only in your imagination, for example, and you may pretend to answer a nonexistent phone call to avoid an awkward conversation with an acquaintance at the post office. The word existent is at the heart of nonexistent, with its root of existence. They all come from the Latin word exsistere, "to come into being, to appear, or to be."
Vocabulary lists containing nonexistent
Zilch, Zip, Nada: Words For Nothing
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Nobody's Home: Synonyms For "Absent"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Phantom Tollbooth
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Yet enforcement of firearm relinquishment remains at best inconsistent and at worst nonexistent.
From Slate • Apr. 25, 2026
In some cases they listed properties using false or nonexistent addresses and posted fabricated reviews to make listings appear more legitimate.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
And if small-caps are a tiny or nonexistent part of your stock allocation today, the next bear market could be an opportunity to fix that.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
“The number of defaults are almost nonexistent and really troubled situations are very small,” Bissonnette said on last month’s earnings call.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
I know I didn’t help things when I tricked her into giving me two hundred dollars for nonexistent swim club dues so that she could pay for necessities for the dog she doesn’t have.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
