existent

adjective

ex·​is·​tent ig-ˈzi-stənt How to pronounce existent (audio)
Synonyms of existentnext
1
: having being : existing
2
: existing now : present
existent methods of flood control
existent noun

Examples of existent in a Sentence

I think we should improve existent parks rather than create new ones. to some people, angels are as existent as aardvarks or astronomers
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.
Compared to the barely existent returns traditional savings accounts are offering now, a money market account arguably becomes the most attractive option for savers currently. Matt Richardson, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 Founder Efstathios Lampsas, a cook at the royal court who trained in Paris, had the chutzpah to introduce a truly grand hotel to Athens at a time when tourism infrastructure was almost non-existent. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026 The call is in service of his election lie, of course, an answer to the non-existent scourge of voter fraud that rigged just the 2020 election and somehow not the 2016 or 2024 elections. S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026 Roads can range from bad to non-existent. Benjamin Tepler, Outside, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for existent

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin existent-, existens/exsistent-, exsistens, from present participle of Latin existere, exsistere "to come into view, appear, show oneself, come into being" (Late Latin, "to have real being, be, be present") — more at exist

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of existent was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Existent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/existent. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

existent

adjective
ex·​ist·​ent
ig-ˈzis-tənt
1
: having being
2
: existing now : extant

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