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being 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of beingnext
as in breathing

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Relevance

Dissimilar Words

being

2 of 3

noun

ˈbē(-i)ŋ How to pronounce being (audio)
1
as in person
a member of the human race no one has the right to enslave another being

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in object
one that has a real and independent existence new parents are typically in awe at having created this separate being

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is music is such a large part of her being that she could never give up performing

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being

3 of 3

verb

present participle of be
1
as in living
to have life stories that begin with the familiar line "once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden"

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sitting
to occupy a place or location we'll be there waiting for you

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3
as in ranking
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes our school's football team is first in its division

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4
as in happening
to take place the party is next Saturday

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of being
Noun
Alas, by disguising themselves in earthling form, these superior beings must submit themselves to the worst indignities of the human condition — namely the frequent need to go to the bathroom and the constant nuisance of dealing with emotions. — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026 At times, colleagues seem to talk at my brain disembodied, with complete disregard for my physical being sitting in front of them. — Jessica Rosenblum, STAT, 8 Sep. 2026 Treated almost as living beings themselves, many of the artworks in the LACMA installation take up animate relations to one another. — George Baker, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 In the face of European colonization, Aboriginal artists created images of powerful ancestral beings, a new study has found. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for being
Recent Examples of Synonyms for being
  1. existing
  2. person
  3. object
  4. essence
  5. living
  6. sitting
  7. ranking
  8. happening
Adjective
  • This investigation will merge with a pre-existing investigation into other donations to the party, the Met added.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Cosmetic repairs, oil changes and tune-ups are also usually excluded, as are pre-existing issues and damage resulting from accidents, misuse, neglect or improper maintenance.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of existing
Noun
  • Macklemore invited Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots and the person who pressured Messina Tour Group to fire him, to match his donation.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • There was a large fight on campus and a report of a person armed with a gun, resulting in a lockdown Thursday at Plantation High School, according to police.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of person
Noun
  • Lanigan-O’Keeffe believes the objects’ origins will have little impact on the final prices.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • By contrast, modern proponents of the existence of a ninth planet focus their searches further out, looking instead to orbital peculiarities in smaller objects that occupy the distant reaches of the solar system.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of object
Noun
  • Photographer Craig Weston captured the essence of the Rally in the Valley.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • After the performance, the trip continued through Tuscany with visits to hilltop towns and local vineyards, creating a well-rounded experience that captured the region’s essence.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of essence
Verb
  • Burnham's spokesperson brushed aside the threat and said the prime minister strongly believes in the union and was more focused on lowering the cost of living than dealing with constitutional debates.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The magician—and apparently her family, down through the generations—is responsible for keeping this creature at bay by binding it to a living body that remains immobile.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of living
Verb
  • Water could exist beneath a chokingly thick atmosphere, as high-pressure ice, or sitting above an inhospitable interior.
    — Alix Freckelton, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Upstairs, the entirety of the tiny cottage is the apartment’s primary suite, surrounded by outdoor space, including a sitting area with its own wood-burning fireplace.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sitting
Verb
  • The Pentagon subjected high-ranking members to polygraph tests as part of an investigation into the source of leaks to journalists about how the war in Iran has created a shortage of sophisticated munitions, according to multiple media reports.
    — Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Her clever approach looks at a large number of middle schools in Norway, ranking their divergent smartphone policies across a range from strictness to leniency.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of ranking
Verb
  • With competitive midterm races happening in nearly all of the early states, potential Democratic presidential candidates are already on the trail with purple-district incumbents and candidates.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • However, when one of those controls is compromised, resilience depends on having independent means of understanding what is actually happening across the environment.
    — Shane Buckley, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of happening

Phrases Containing being

Browse Nearby Words

beige
being
being (as or as how or that)
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Cite this Entry

“Being.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/being. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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