existential
adjective
ex·is·ten·tial
ˌeg-(ˌ)zi-ˈsten(t)-shəl 
ˌek-(ˌ)si-
1
: of, relating to, or affirming existence
existential propositions
an existential crisis
the existential threat of climate change
2
a
: grounded in existence or the experience of existence : empirical
existential phenomenology
b
: having being in time and space
… abstractions, ideal gauges without claim to existential reality …—
W. Wolfgang Holdheim
W. Wolfgang Holdheim3
: concerned with or involving human existence or its nature : existentialist
an existential novel
existentially
adverb
Synonyms of existential
Examples of existential in a Sentence
child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim believed that fairy tales help children cope with their existential anxieties and dilemmas
Recent Examples on the Web
The other existential threat to SAG in the 1930s came not from the moguls or the feds but the mob.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026
Losing a $200 million contract would not pose an existential threat for Anthropic, which was recently valued at around $380 billion.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
The industry is in panic mode, as this merger poses existential threats not only to film and content production, but potentially to cable network news ahead of the midterm elections.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Forced to confront this web of lies, Kanan faced an existential crisis of self-discovery and emerged stronger and more resolute than ever.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for existential
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Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 28 Feb. 2026
Losing a $200 million contract would not pose an existential threat for Anthropic, which was recently valued at around $380 billion.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
The industry is in panic mode, as this merger poses existential threats not only to film and content production, but potentially to cable network news ahead of the midterm elections.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Forced to confront this web of lies, Kanan faced an existential crisis of self-discovery and emerged stronger and more resolute than ever.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for existential
Cite this Entry
“Existential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/existential. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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