1
a
: the quality or state of having existence
a social movement that came into being in the 1960s
artistic form comes into being only when two elements are successfully fused—
Carlos Lynes
Carlos Lynes
b(1)
: something that is conceivable and hence capable of existing
(2)
: something that actually exists
(3)
: the totality of existing things
c
: conscious existence : life
2
: the qualities that constitute an existent thing : essence
I knew it was true in the core of my being.
especially
: personality
3
: a living thing
sentient beings
a mythical being
: present
—used in the phrase for the time being
plans to remain single for the time being
being
4 of 4present participle of be
Examples of being in a Sentence
Noun
a social movement that was brought into being in the 1960s
I knew it was true in the core of my being.
Conjunction
being as how I paid for lunch, I'd appreciate it if you picked up the tab for dinner
Recent Examples on the Web
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026
For the time being, oil prices are relatively steady, but any change on that front has the potential to move markets.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Then Charlotte’s decision to sell their late father’s robotics company—and with it, beings like Cy—spurs Grayson into action, stealing the flash drive with all the company secrets and towing Cy along on his attempt at a corporate takeover.
—Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
Stephens is speaking at the really dramatic moment when the Confederacy has come into being.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for being
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Noun
The series wasn’t directly based on a Rice book but centered on her in-universe secret society that monitors supernatural beings and whose representatives (like Justin Kirk’s Raglan James) have shown up in IWTV and The Mayfair Witches.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026
For the time being, oil prices are relatively steady, but any change on that front has the potential to move markets.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Then Charlotte’s decision to sell their late father’s robotics company—and with it, beings like Cy—spurs Grayson into action, stealing the flash drive with all the company secrets and towing Cy along on his attempt at a corporate takeover.
—Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
Stephens is speaking at the really dramatic moment when the Confederacy has come into being.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for being
Cite this Entry
“Being.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/being. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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