presence
noun
pres·ence
ˈpre-zᵊn(t)s 
1
: the fact or condition of being present (see present entry 3)
2
a
: the part of space within one's immediate vicinity
b
: the neighborhood of one of superior especially royal rank
3
archaic
: company sense 2a
4
: one that is present: such as
a
: the actual person or thing that is present
b
: something present of a visible or concrete nature
5
6
: something (such as a spirit) felt or believed to be present
Examples of presence in a Sentence
Bacteria sense their neighbors and respond to the presence of others in the colony by exchanging small molecules and bits of proteins called peptides …
—
Susan Gaidos, Science News, 17 Jan. 2009
Though because it is a seaside town, there are more people now that it's summer. … As well, their presence means that our few restaurants—dark through the snowy months—are open now, their lights burning merrily into the summer evenings.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
The two authors suggest that war is better understood as a form of play than as a place of business, that Clausewitzian theory collapses into absurdity in the presence of atomic weapons.
—Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, September 2007
men should watch their language when in the presence of ladies
the orchestra's musical director has a very stately presence
Susan Gaidos, Science News, 17 Jan. 2009
Though because it is a seaside town, there are more people now that it's summer. … As well, their presence means that our few restaurants—dark through the snowy months—are open now, their lights burning merrily into the summer evenings.
—Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
The two authors suggest that war is better understood as a form of play than as a place of business, that Clausewitzian theory collapses into absurdity in the presence of atomic weapons.
—Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, September 2007
men should watch their language when in the presence of ladies
the orchestra's musical director has a very stately presence
Recent Examples on the Web
The wronged wife can acknowledge or ignore the presence of the other woman, who may be mourning the death of the man as much or more than his wife is.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
Rice brings his athleticism and protective presence in midfield, while Vitinha and Neves constantly pass and move, pulling the opposition apart and creating the spaces into which Rice can stride.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Campbell’s influential locker room presence was one of the reasons Miami didn’t move him at the trade deadline when teams offered draft picks for the veteran defensive lineman.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
The mere presence of Hezbollah fighters in the dock shattered the group’s long-standing aura of impunity in Lebanon.
—Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for presence
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Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
Rice brings his athleticism and protective presence in midfield, while Vitinha and Neves constantly pass and move, pulling the opposition apart and creating the spaces into which Rice can stride.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Campbell’s influential locker room presence was one of the reasons Miami didn’t move him at the trade deadline when teams offered draft picks for the veteran defensive lineman.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
The mere presence of Hezbollah fighters in the dock shattered the group’s long-standing aura of impunity in Lebanon.
—Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for presence
Cite this Entry
“Presence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presence. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
presence
noun
pres·ence
ˈprez-ᵊn(t)s
1
: the fact or state of being present
no one noticed the stranger's presence
2
: position close to a person
in the presence of a guest
3
: a person's appearance
a stately presence
4
: something felt or believed to be present
a ghostly presence
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