exist

verb

ex·ist | \ ig-ˈzist

existed; existing; exists

Definition of exist

1a : to have real being whether material or spiritual did unicorns exist the largest galaxy known to exist

b : to have being in a specified place or with respect to understood limitations or conditions strange ideas existed in his mind

2 : to continue to be racism still exists in society

3a : to have life or the functions of vitality we cannot exist without oxygen

b : to live at an inferior level or under adverse circumstances the hungry existing from day to day

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about exist

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Synonyms & Antonyms for exist

Synonyms

be, breathe, live, subsist

Antonyms

depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, succumb

Examples of exist in a Sentence

She believes that ghosts really do exist. It's the largest galaxy known to exist. Does life exist on Mars? The Internet didn't exist then. We shouldn't ignore the problems that exist in our own community. Racism still exists in our society. The organization may soon cease to exist if more funding isn't provided.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Kanich, the security researcher from the University of Illinois in Chicago, describes this as part of the ultimate tension that exists between Apple, its developer community, and its customers. — Lauren Goode, WIRED, "App Makers Are Mixed on ‘Sign In With Apple’," 15 June 2019 The city enjoys political and social freedoms that don’t exist elsewhere in China, but those freedoms have come under increasing threat by Beijing. — Hillary Leung, Time, "U.S. Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill Supporting Democracy in Hong Kong in the Wake of Violent Unrest," 15 June 2019 The exhibition, which runs through Sept. 29, is less of a fan-service gimmick than a thoughtful tribute to a family that never actually existed. — Lillian Brown, BostonGlobe.com, "A ‘Downton Abbey’ experience arrives in Boston," 14 June 2019 So the free-trade regime that has existed more or less since the 1930s is based on the idea that the president should keep Congress at bay. — Jay Cost, National Review, "Congress Should Fix Itself before Reclaiming Its Power," 14 June 2019 Scientists concluded the wolf’s head belonged to an adult, which would have been roughly 25 percent bigger than their contemporary counterparts that exist today. — Matt Mcnulty, PEOPLE.com, "40,000-Year-Old Preserved Wolf's Head from Ice Age Discovered in Siberia," 14 June 2019 That made no difference to the Office of Special Counsel, a federal agency that exists mainly to protect whistleblowers, which accused him of violating Hatch Act prohibitions on political activity by federal employees. — Bill Lambrecht, ExpressNews.com, "Julián Castro draws on HUD experience as 2020 candidates pitch affordable housing plans," 13 June 2019 By loosening their grip on LEO, NASA has seeded an economic infrastructure that can exist without it’s direct funding. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "A 10-Year Odyssey: What Space Stations Will Look Like in 2030," 10 June 2019 Opponents say the Assembly is trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. — Tegan Hanlon, Anchorage Daily News, "New restrictions on where people can trap in the Anchorage municipality go into effect Friday," 7 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.