existence

noun

ex·is·tence | \ ig-ˈzi-stən(t)s

Definition of existence

1a : the state or fact of having being especially independently of human consciousness and as contrasted with nonexistence the existence of other worlds

b : the manner of being that is common to every mode of being

c : being with respect to a limiting condition or under a particular aspect

2 : actual or present occurrence existence of a state of war

3a(1) : the totality of existent things

(2) : a particular being all the fair existences of heaven— John Keats

b : sentient or living being : life

c : reality as presented in experience

d obsolete : reality as opposed to appearance

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Examples of existence in a Sentence

She began to doubt the existence of God. the existence of UFO's is something that people continue to argue about

Recent Examples on the Web

Conscience of a Conservative was written in secret—its existence was not known until shortly before it was published—and released in August of 2017. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "House Leadership Is Looking Flakey," 17 June 2019 Its existence is hardly a secret, but its American occupants are a discreet presence—showing up in Agadez to rebuild a school, or in a nearby village to construct a water well, but largely staying on base. — Robert Draper, National Geographic, "Surrounded by chaos, Niger is a nation on the edge," 17 June 2019 The Rattlers had their first shut out in their 27-year existence on June 1, a 56-0 rout at Cedar Rapids. — Richard Obert, azcentral, "Rattlers finish undefeated in the regular season for the first time in franchise history," 15 June 2019 On iPhones, 3D Touch in iOS is useful on paper, though Apple hasn’t done a great job of justifying its existence. — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, "The Black Shark 2’s pressure-sensitive screen makes mobile gaming better," 15 June 2019 No longer could their existence be so easily ignored and denied. — Charles David Kleymeyer, Smithsonian, "Meet Juan García Salazar, the Man Who Championed Black Identity in Ecuador," 14 June 2019 But if capitalism and democracy are such uneasy bedfellows, what explains their long co-existence in the rich world? — The Economist, "How compatible are democracy and capitalism?," 13 June 2019 Watching him achieve sentience has a wonderful twinge of Frankensteinian horror, as Forky is at first horrified by his newfound existence. — Christian Holub, EW.com, "All hail Forky: Critics rave about the trash-toy at the center of Toy Story 4," 13 June 2019 As the new president and CEO of USA Gymnastics (USAG), Leung oversees an organization that is struggling to justify its existence. — Alice Park, Time, "Can Anyone Save the Scandal-Plagued USA Gymnastics? Li Li Leung Is Determined to Try," 13 June 2019

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