presence

American  

[prez-uhns] / ˈprɛz əns /

noun

• presences
  plural

1. the state or fact of being present, as with others or in a place.

   Antonyms:

   absence

2. attendance or company.

   Your presence is requested.

3. immediate vicinity; proximity.

   in the presence of witnesses.

   Synonyms:

   neighborhood

4. the military or economic power of a country as reflected abroad by the stationing of its troops, sale of its goods, etc..

   the American military presence in Europe;

   the Japanese presence in the U.S. consumer market.

5. Chiefly British. the immediate personal vicinity of a great personage giving audience or reception.

   summoned to her presence.

6. the ability to project a sense of ease, poise, or self-assurance, especially the quality or manner of a person's bearing before an audience.

   The speaker had a good deal of stage presence.

   Synonyms:

   mien, carriage

7. personal appearance or bearing, especially of a dignified or imposing kind.

   a man of fine presence.

8. a person, especially of noteworthy appearance or compelling personality.

   He is a real presence, even at a private party.

9. a divine or supernatural spirit felt to be present.

   He felt a presence with him in the room.

10. British Obsolete. presence chamber.

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presence British  

/ ˈprɛzəns /

noun

1. the state or fact of being present

2. the immediate proximity of a person or thing

3. personal appearance or bearing, esp of a dignified nature

4. an imposing or dignified personality

5. an invisible spirit felt to be nearby

6. electronics a recording control that boosts mid-range frequencies

7. (of a recording) a quality that gives the impression that the listener is in the presence of the original source of the sound

8. obsolete assembly or company

9. obsolete short for presence chamber

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpresence
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• presences
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of presence

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin praesentia; see present ¹, -ence

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Explanation

Presence is the state of being somewhere. When you get an invitation that reads "Your presence is requested,” you are being asked to show up. Your style of being there — your demeanor or bearing — is also your presence. Usually, presence is a physical thing. Since the 1600s, the word has also meant something otherwordly, a spiritual or divine presence. If you suddenly feel a weird presence in the room, perhaps it's a ghost . . . or just the cat. Use the phrase "presence of mind" to indicate when someone is quick-witted or just paying attention. While your job washing skyscraper windows doesn't require a lot of brain work, it's a good idea to keep your presence of mind while working.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

presence presences

Another pupil, Janett Bickley, remembers her as a kind and popular presence.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Their presence is explained in part by its strategic location, halfway between territory held by M23 forces and the region's mining belt, according to a Congolese army official, who asked not to be named.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Kim said international students “have been part of USC for decades” and called their presence “a win-win.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

One isn’t inclined to dispute the truth of Mr. Shadwick’s reading of this silly stuff, but one may make heavy weather of its presence in an otherwise effective account.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

It was fifteen minutes after seven; his mother’s presence still hung in the air.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Along with goalkeeper Ben Wilson, the trio have been motivating presences in the dressing room and on the touchline, highlighting the squad strength and Lampard's people management skills.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

One of the Gamecocks’ only interior presences, center Madina Okot, had three fouls early in the third quarter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026

Tokyo and Seoul, which both host large presences of U.S. troops, have sparred frequently over the decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026

But smaller firms without global presences will be out of luck.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025

As with the Inka, the kings’ mummified bodies continued to live opulently in their own homes and could not be displaced; indeed, the mummies were necessary presences at important state occasions.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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