as in empirical
based on observation or experience
child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim believed that fairy tales help children cope with their existential anxieties and dilemmas
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Recent Examples of existential
The frontier’s closing, the unavailability of new lands, and the enclosure of national space by the border wall in the late twentieth century were existential crises.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
Sometimes the pas de deux between light showbiz dramedy and weightier themes, from the existential threats facing the arts community to the imminence of extinction-level environmental catastrophes, can feel disproportionate.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Trump’s China tariffs remain an existential threat for Apple’s device sales.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
The case poses an existential threat to Meta, which by some estimates earns about half of its U.S. advertising revenue from Instagram, while also giving the public its first real measure of how strongly the new Trump administration will follow up on its promises to take on Big Tech.
—Jody Godoy, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for existential
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
Sometimes the pas de deux between light showbiz dramedy and weightier themes, from the existential threats facing the arts community to the imminence of extinction-level environmental catastrophes, can feel disproportionate.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Trump’s China tariffs remain an existential threat for Apple’s device sales.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
The case poses an existential threat to Meta, which by some estimates earns about half of its U.S. advertising revenue from Instagram, while also giving the public its first real measure of how strongly the new Trump administration will follow up on its promises to take on Big Tech.
—Jody Godoy, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for existential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for existential
Adjective
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Economists rarely find consensus—but the empirical evidence against sweeping tariffs is nearly unanimous.—
Christian Catalini,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
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Some of Trump’s critics used sketchy arguments and weak empirical evidence to accuse Facebook and other social media services of having allowed Russian propagandists to manipulate Americans into voting for a leader with authoritarian predilections.—
Henry Farrell,
Foreign Affairs,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Consider these common scenarios: • A narcissistic leader may reject data that contradicts their opinion, disregarding objective insights.—
Nino Letteriello,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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That was an intentionally objective exercise, while the Player Tiers project is inherently more subjective.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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From Experiments To Enterprise-Wide Automation 2024 marked AI's experimental phase, with businesses testing isolated applications.—
Oleksandr Sheremeta,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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The layoffs were so abrupt, staff said, that lab animals were left without staff to care for them and had to be euthanized, and an experimental mine used to test protective gear beneath the agency’s Pittsburgh campus was at risk of flooding and polluting the surrounding environment.—
Mark Olalde,
ProPublica,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Existential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/existential. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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