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present

¹

[ prez-uhnt ]

/ ˈprɛz ənt /

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See synonyms for: present / presented / presenting / presents on Thesaurus.com

adjective

being, existing, or occurring at this time or now; current: increasing respect for the present ruler of the small country.

at this time; at hand; immediate: articles for present use.

Grammar.

noting an action or state occurring at the moment of speaking or writing: Knows is a present form in He knows that.
noting or relating to a tense or other verb formation with such meaning.

being with one or others or in the specified or understood place: to be present at the wedding.

being here: Is everyone present?

existing or occurring in a place, thing, combination, or the like: Carbon is present in many minerals.

being actually here or under consideration: the present document;the present topic.

being in the mind; recollected: The memories were still present to her mind.

focused on or involved in what one is doing at a particular moment; attentive: When you’re talking to someone, be present instead of thinking about something else.

Obsolete. mentally alert and calm, especially in emergencies.

Obsolete. immediate or instant: present payment.

noun

the present time: She has one foot in the present and one foot in the future.

Grammar. present tense.

presents, Law. the present writings, or this document, used in a deed of conveyance, a lease, etc., to denote the document itself: Know all men by these presents that . . . .

Obsolete. the matter in hand.

OTHER WORDS FOR present

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OPPOSITES FOR present

See antonyms for present on Thesaurus.com

VIDEO FOR PRESENT

Do You Give Presents or Gifts?

It's that time of year again! Which will you be giving, gifts or presents? Speak without worry, because the giving of both presents and gifts are incredibly welcome this holiday season. ****Add yoast images.

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QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about present

at present, at the present time or moment; now: There are no job openings here at present.

for the present, for now; temporarily: For the present, we must be content with matters as they stand.

Origin of present

¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Middle English present(e), presa(u)nt, from Old French present, from Latin praesent- stem of praesēns, present participle of praeesse “to be present, be before others, i.e., to preside, be in charge,” for the adjective; from Middle English present(e), presant “presence (in space or time),” for the noun, partly derivative of the adjective, partly from Old French; see pre-, essence

OTHER WORDS FROM present

pres·ent·ness, noun

Words nearby present

presence chamber, presence of mind, presenile, presenile dementia, presenility, present, presentable, present arms, presentation, presentational, presentationalism

Other definitions for present (2 of 2)

present²

[ verb pri-zent; noun prez-uhnt ]

/ verb prɪˈzɛnt; noun ˈprɛz ənt /

verb (used with object)

to furnish or endow with a gift or the like, especially by formal act: to present someone with a gold watch.

to bring, offer, or give, often in a formal or ceremonious way: You'll have to present your passport at the airport.

afford or furnish (an opportunity, possibility, etc.).

to hand over or submit, as a bill or a check, for payment: The waiter presented our bill for lunch.

to introduce (a person) to another, especially in a formal manner: Mrs. Smith, may I present Mr. Jones?

to bring before or introduce to the public: to present a new play.

to come to show (oneself) before a person, at a place, etc.

to show or exhibit: This theater will present films on a larger screen.

to bring forth or render for or before another or others; offer for consideration: to present an alternative plan.

to set forth in words; frame or articulate: to present arguments.

to represent, impersonate, or act, as on the stage.

to direct, point, or turn (something) to something or someone: He presented his back to the audience.

to level or aim (a weapon, especially a firearm).

Law.

to bring against, as a formal charge against a person.
to bring formally to the notice of the proper authority, as an offense.

British Ecclesiastical. to offer or recommend (a member of the clergy) to the bishop to be granted a benefice.

verb (used without object)

Medicine/Medical.

(of a fetus) to be visible at the cervix during labor: In a normal delivery, the baby’s head presents first.
(of a medical condition) to be evident from the presence of certain symptoms: Depression often presents with disturbed sleep or appetite.
(of a patient) to have a certain symptom or medical condition, especially as reported during a medical examination: A 22-year-old man presents with shortness of breath.

noun pres·ent

[prez-uhnt] /ˈprɛz ənt/

a thing presented as a gift; gift: Christmas presents.

OTHER WORDS FOR present

1 bestow, donate.

3 produce, provide, return.

11 enact.

17 offering, donation, benefaction, grant, tip, gratuity.

See synonyms for present on Thesaurus.com

Origin of present

²

First recorded 1200–50; Middle English noun present(e), presant, from Old French present, originally in phrase en present “in presence”; Middle English verb presenten, present(e), from Old French presenter, from Medieval Latin praesentāre “to give, show, present for approval,” Latin: “to exhibit (to the mind or senses),” derivative of praesēns; see origin at present¹

synonym study for present

1. See give. 17. Present, gift, donation, bonus refer to something freely given. Present and gift are both used of something given as an expression of affection, friendship, interest, or respect. Present is the less formal; gift is generally used of something conferred (especially with ceremony) on an individual, a group, or an institution: a birthday present; a gift to a bride. Donation applies to an important gift, most often of money and usually of considerable size, though the term is often used in speaking of small gifts to or for people who need help: a donation to an endowment fund, to the Red Cross. Bonus applies to something, again usually money, given in addition to what is due, especially to employees who have worked for a long time or particularly well: a bonus at the end of the year.

OTHER WORDS FROM present

self-pre·sent·ed, adjectiveun·pre·sent·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use present in a sentence

We’re pleased to be present in so many relationships this year, even more so than before.
How Hallmark is handling pandemic Valentine’s Day|Luke Winkie|February 12, 2021|Vox
Republicans, by many accounts, aren’t even considering the arguments being presented in the trial.
How Has The Nation Changed Since The Insurrection At The Capitol?|Micah Cohen (micah.cohen@fivethirtyeight.com)|February 11, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
We should request that staff conduct a feasibility study and to present the results of that study to this committee by the end of the year.
Vacancy Tax Study Is Giving City Officials Déjà Vu|Lisa Halverstadt and Andrew Keatts|February 10, 2021|Voice of San Diego
In five years of Insights puzzles, we’ve tried to present questions that lived up to the column’s name.
Zen and the Art of Puzzle Solving|Pradeep Mutalik|February 10, 2021|Quanta Magazine

He was a tough guy, but also admired and respected by his players and most in the media, present company included.
Marty Schottenheimer’s legacy can be measured in teams’ regret over letting him go|Leonard Shapiro|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
In his view, a writer has only one duty: to be present in his books.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Angelina Jolie was able to seemingly glide into the Vatican on Thursday to present her new film ‘Unbroken.’
Pope Francis Has the Pleasure of Meeting Angelina Jolie for a Few Seconds|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Disordered eating is also linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety, both in the present and in the future.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the middle of all of that past suffering and present-day conflict, this Cosby bomb was dropped.
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The account goes some way in showing just how present the Quds and other forces are in Iraq at this point in time.
What an Iranian Funeral Tells Us About the Wars in Iraq|IranWire|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But Mrs. Dodd, the present vicar's wife, retained the precious prerogative of choosing the book to be read at the monthly Dorcas.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The Rev. Alonzo Barnard, seventy-one years of age, accompanied by his daughter, was present.
Among the Sioux|R. J. Creswell
Several pioneers familiar with the facts of the tragedy at the time of its occurrence were also present.
Among the Sioux|R. J. Creswell
Bacteria, when present in great numbers, give a uniform cloud which cannot be removed by ordinary filtration.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
At present, Louis was too self-absorbed by the struggles within him, to look deep into what was passing around him.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter

British Dictionary definitions for present (1 of 2)

present¹

/ (ˈprɛzənt) /

adjective

(prenominal) in existence at the moment in time at which an utterance is spoken or written

(postpositive) being in a specified place, thing, etcthe murderer is present in this room

(prenominal) now in consideration or under discussionthe present topic; the present author

grammar denoting a tense of verbs used when the action or event described is occurring at the time of utterance or when the speaker does not wish to make any explicit temporal reference

archaic readily available; instantpresent help is at hand

archaic mentally alert; attentive

noun

the present the time being; now

grammar

the present tense
a verb in this tense

at present at the moment; now

for the present for the time being; temporarily

See also presents

Word Origin for present

C13: from Latin praesens, from praeesse to be in front of, from prae- before, in front + esse to be

British Dictionary definitions for present (2 of 2)

present²

verb (prɪˈzɛnt) (mainly tr)

to introduce (a person) to another, esp to someone of higher rank

to introduce to the publicto present a play

to introduce and compere (a radio or television show)

to show; exhibithe presented a brave face to the world

to put forward; submitshe presented a proposal for a new book

to bring or suggest to the mindto present a problem

to give or awardto present a prize

to endow with or as if with a gift or awardto present a university with a foundation scholarship

to offer formallyto present one's compliments

to offer or hand over for action or settlementto present a bill

to represent or depict in a particular mannerthe actor presented Hamlet as a very young man

to salute someone with (one's weapon) (usually in the phrase present arms)

to aim or point (a weapon)

to nominate (a clergyman) to a bishop for institution to a benefice in his diocese

to lay (a charge, etc) before a court, magistrate, etc, for consideration or trial

to bring a formal charge or accusation against (a person); indict

mainly US (of a grand jury) to take notice of (an offence) from personal knowledge or observation, before any bill of indictment has been drawn up

(intr) med to seek treatment for a particular symptom or problemshe presented with postnatal depression

(intr) informal to produce a favourable, etc impressionshe presents well in public; he presents as harmless but has poisoned his family

present oneself to appear, esp at a specific time and place

noun (ˈprɛzənt)

anything that is presented; a gift

make someone a present of something to give someone somethingI'll make you a present of a new car

Word Origin for present

C13: from Old French presenter, from Latin praesentāre to exhibit, offer, from praesens present 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with present

present

see all present and accounted for; at present; for the moment (present); no time like the present.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.