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
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
In Hawaiian culture, menehune are small beings known for mischief and building in the dark of night.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Willis said in 1986 that the idea of a solid waste management plan came into being.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Vonnegut’s novel is a gem from a simpler era of possible space exploration, complete with the dumbest Martian invasion in literature, kitelike beings that subsist on Mercury’s vibrations, and, of course, Vonnegut’s perennial alien characters, the Tralfamadorians.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for being
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Noun
Long before scientists understood solar wind or magnetism, people associated auroras with spirits, omens, warriors, or celestial beings.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
In Hawaiian culture, menehune are small beings known for mischief and building in the dark of night.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Willis said in 1986 that the idea of a solid waste management plan came into being.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Vonnegut’s novel is a gem from a simpler era of possible space exploration, complete with the dumbest Martian invasion in literature, kitelike beings that subsist on Mercury’s vibrations, and, of course, Vonnegut’s perennial alien characters, the Tralfamadorians.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 12 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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