Showing results for "present"

• a variation of present tense.

present

¹ American  

[prez-uhnt] / ˈprɛz ənt /

adjective

1. being, existing, or occurring at this time or now; current.

   increasing respect for the present ruler of the small country.

   Synonyms:

   extant

   Antonyms:

   absent

2. at this time; at hand; immediate.

   articles for present use.

3. Grammar. designating a verb tense, construction, or form used to refer to an action or state occurring at the time of speaking or writing: knows is a present form in He knows that.

4. being with one or others or in the specified or understood place.

   to be present at the wedding.

5. being here.

   Is everyone present?

6. existing or occurring in a place, thing, combination, or the like.

   Carbon is present in many minerals.

7. being actually here or under consideration.

   the present document;

   the present topic.

8. being in the mind; recollected.

   The memories were still present to her mind.

9. 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.

10. Obsolete. mentally alert and calm, especially in emergencies.

11. Obsolete. immediate or instant.

    present payment.

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noun

1. the present time.

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

2. Grammar. present tense.

3. Law. presents, 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 . . . .

4. Obsolete. the matter in hand.

idioms

1. at present, at the present time or moment; now.

   There are no job openings here at present.

2. for the present, for now; temporarily.

   For the present, we must be content with matters as they stand.

present ² American  

[pri-zent, prez-uhnt] / prɪˈzɛnt, ˈprɛz ənt /

verb (used with object)

presents, present (3rd person singular) presented, past participle, past presenting present participle

1. to furnish or endow with a gift or the like, especially by formal act.

   to present someone with a gold watch.

   Synonyms:

   donate, bestow

2. to bring, offer, or give, often in a formal or ceremonious way.

   You'll have to present your passport at the airport.

   Synonyms:

   proffer

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

   Synonyms:

   return, provide, produce

4. to hand over or submit, as a bill or a check, for payment.

   The waiter presented our bill for lunch.

5. to introduce (a person) to another, especially in a formal manner.

   Mrs. Smith, may I present Mr. Jones?

6. to bring before or introduce to the public.

   to present a new play.

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

8. to show or exhibit.

   This theater will present films on a larger screen.

9. to bring forth or render for or before another or others; offer for consideration.

   to present an alternative plan.

   Synonyms:

   introduce

10. to set forth in words; frame or articulate.

    to present arguments.

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

    Synonyms:

    enact

12. to direct, point, or turn (something) to something or someone.

    He presented his back to the audience.

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

14. Law.

    1. to bring against, as a formal charge against a person.

    2. to bring formally to the notice of the proper authority, as an offense.

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

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verb (used without object)

presents, present (3rd person singular) presented, past participle, past presenting present participle

1. Medicine/Medical.

   1. (of a fetus) to be visible at the cervix during labor.

      In a normal delivery, the baby’s head presents first.

   2. (of a medical condition) to be evident from the presence of certain symptoms.

      Depression often presents with disturbed sleep or appetite.

   3. (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

1. a thing presented as a gift; gift.

   Christmas presents.

   Synonyms:

   gratuity, tip, grant, benefaction, donation, offering

present ¹ British  

verb

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

2. to introduce to the public

   to present a play

3. to introduce and compere (a radio or television show)

4. to show; exhibit

   he presented a brave face to the world

5. to put forward; submit

   she presented a proposal for a new book

6. to bring or suggest to the mind

   to present a problem

7. to give or award

   to present a prize

8. to endow with or as if with a gift or award

   to present a university with a foundation scholarship

9. to offer formally

   to present one's compliments

10. to offer or hand over for action or settlement

    to present a bill

11. to represent or depict in a particular manner

    the actor presented Hamlet as a very young man

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

13. to aim or point (a weapon)

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

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

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

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

18. (intr) med to seek treatment for a particular symptom or problem

    she presented with postnatal depression

19. informal (intr) to produce a favourable, etc impression

    she presents well in public

    he presents as harmless but has poisoned his family

20. to appear, esp at a specific time and place

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noun

1. anything that is presented; a gift

2. to give someone something

   I'll make you a present of a new car

present ² British  

/ ˈprɛzənt /

adjective

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

2. (postpositive) being in a specified place, thing, etc

   the murderer is present in this room

3. (prenominal) now in consideration or under discussion

   the present topic

   the present author

4. 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

5. archaic readily available; instant

   present help is at hand

6. archaic mentally alert; attentive

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noun

1. the time being; now

2. grammar

   1. the present tense

   2. a verb in this tense

3. at the moment; now

4. for the time being; temporarily

present More Idioms  

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

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Synonym Usage

See give. 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 Word Forms

Derived Forms

• presentness
  noun
• self-presented
  adjective
• unpresented
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• presenting
  present
• presented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• present
  simple
• presents
  simple
• have presented
  perfect
• has presented
  perfect
• am presenting
  progressive
• are presenting
  progressive
• is presenting
  progressive
• have been presenting
  perfect progressive
• has been presenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• presented
  simple
• had presented
  perfect
• was presenting
  progressive
• were presenting
  progressive
• had been presenting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will present
  simple
• will have presented
  perfect
• will be presenting
  progressive
• will have been presenting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of present¹

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

Origin of present²

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 present ¹

Explanation

The word present has multiple meanings, most of which concern giving (a present is a gift) or time (the present is right now). The verb present might mean to deliver something like a speech, or perform something like a play. On formal occasions, when we present someone, we introduce them, usually to a group or to the public. Present might also mean "to submit" or "hand over." In grammar, the present tense expresses actions or states occurring at the time we're speaking of them, that is to say, at this moment.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

present presents presented presenting

When they are present in a picture, “we are led by them to believe what the artist sees.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

If a legislator is visiting for an inspection, they are now required to present privacy waivers for each detainee they want to speak with, which must be signed by the detainee.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

Clark said her singing register was now lower, but the magic was still present.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

The remains of the 120,000-year-old hippopotamus at the site indicates that a record dating back to before the last Ice Age is present at the site.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

That memory is enough to make me crumple, but Harlow giggles, and I snap back to the present.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

"He presents himself as the best surgeon in Kyrgyzstan, but he's just a kind of 'butcher' of Kyrgyzstan," she said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

As if not wanting to be mistaken for any sort of Good Time, the series presents itself in a desaturated palette, through what can feel at times like a scrim of dust.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

“Ensuring both security and seclusion, this exclusive property presents a distinctive opportunity for the most discerning tenant and is available for lease fully furnished,” the listing adds.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

James Chace presents the presidential election of 1912 as a watershed moment in which four politicians fought over “the central question of America’s exceptional destiny.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

They pulled out their birthday presents for Deirdre and placed them on the table with the other gifts.

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene

Readers of Mr. Stannard’s biography will find much of the material in “Like a Cat Loves a Bird” familiar, albeit presented in a highly condensed form.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

The team's latest discoveries were recently presented during a public lecture series held at the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Philology and Communication in the Gabriel Oliver room.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

He presented as a cash buyer, having already sold his farmhouse in Oxfordshire.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

Then Sotomayor spent three pages on the Title IX question, concurring with the majority that West Virginia’s approach to athletics does not violate Title IX—as the plaintiff presented her argument.

From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026

The award was presented to Lilya’s brother, Yuri, who’d been waiting so long for his charismatic older sister’s name, and his own, to be cleared.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Discovery WBD 2.73%increase; green up pointing triangle , presenting the biggest obstacle for a deal that will combine two of Hollywood’s biggest producers and distributors of entertainment and news content.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

An England great who played 227 matches for his country, Flintoff moved into coaching after suffering severe injuries while presenting driving show Top Gear.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

What a happy crowd they looked, even presenting President Trump with his own jersey, No. 47.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

The practice of museums collaborating with fashion houses, tapping their archives and presenting their designs, is today widespread, and fashion as a legitimate form of art is now celebrated throughout the world.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

Otto looked up at me and looked away, his hand holding still, and I realized he was presenting food for me to share.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Related Words

• cite
• declare
• display
• do
• give
• offer
• perform
• pose
• produce
• raise
• show
• stage
• submit
• suggest