nonexistent

adjective

non·​ex·​is·​tent ˌnän-ig-ˈzi-stənt How to pronounce nonexistent (audio)
Synonyms of nonexistentnext
: not in actual or present occurrence : not existing
… historical accounts of the first Thanksgiving are almost nonexistentJasper White
Water was often a luxury, bathrooms were nonexistent, the food was often suspect.Noel Vietmeyer
Although brain size and organization became basically modern at least 100,000 years ago, with the robust Neanderthals, their advances in tool-making were slight, their self-expression through art virtually nonexistent.John Noble Wilford

Examples of nonexistent in a Sentence

our perennially nonexistent computer tech is, once again, not here today
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.
His commentary during challenges has gone from nonexistent to essential to overbearing. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026 The book comes at a critical time in politics, months out from the midterm elections that decide control of Congress and an already much hyped, but so far nonexistent, bench of Democrats that may have an interest in running for president in 2028. Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026 Escalation paths are unclear or nonexistent. Marc Serota, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 And at many schools, student activism is virtually nonexistent. Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nonexistent

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonexistent was in 1646

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Cite this Entry

“Nonexistent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonexistent. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

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