nonbeing

noun

non·​be·​ing ˌnän-ˈbē(-i)ŋ How to pronounce nonbeing (audio)
: absence or lack of being : nonexistence
The minute anything edges across the boundary between nonbeing and being …Garry Wills

Examples of nonbeing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most of us connect emotionally with being in that box, hammocked between being and nonbeing. Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonbeing was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Nonbeing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonbeing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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