existence
/ɪɡˈzɪst(ə)ns
/ /ɛɡˈzɪst(ə)ns/noun [mass noun]
1The fact or state of living or having objective reality: the organization has been in existence for fifteen years...
- Heralded the most valuable natural object in existence, on a weight to weight basis, experts believe that the diamond is the only one of its kind.
- He was called away from temporal existence on November 12.
- In fact, this arrangement may be the only one in existence anywhere in the United States.
Synonyms
alive, existing, extant, existent
1.1Continued survival: she kept the company alive when its very existence was threatened...
- The Jewish working class, not entirely without reason, identified its own survival with the continued existence of this state.
- The commercial director has been charged with the job of getting the club's finances back in order with the serious situation threatening its very existence.
- It's not a threat to national security, it's not threatening the continued existence of Australia as a nation state, or anything like that.
Synonyms
actuality, being, existing, reality, fact;
survival, continuance, continuation, subsistence, living;
Philosophy quiddity, esse
1.2 [count noun] A way of living: our stressed-out urban existence...
- After living on a commune, he and his wife moved to Burlington, joining so many other back-to-the-landers looking to flee their harried urban existences.
- The reward for the risk taken pays rent, feeds children, and supports a subsistence level existence.
- An odd sort of surrealness has glazed over the events of the past two weeks as I continue my relatively peaceful existence on my college campus.
Synonyms
way of life, way of living, manner of living, life, lifestyle, circumstances, situation
1.3 [count noun] (In certain beliefs) any of a person’s successive earthly lives: a person may be reaping the consequences of evil deeds sown in previous existences...
- The purpose of such rites is to separate people from a previous existence.
- Both could recall memories of previous existences on Earth and indeed this idea is a very natural one given the cyclical nature of time as observed in the seasons and years.
- In previous existences, this electronic engineer brought cable TV to Sligo and helped get Sligo airport off the ground.
1.4All that exists: he believed in the essential unity of all existence...
- I don't know, and don't care, because in either case it does not affect my reality and my place in existence.
- Eventually the stars would burn out and a curtain of frozen darkness would enshroud all existence.
1.5 [count noun] archaic Something that exists; a being.There is no limit to the ever-increasing number of deified existences.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French, or from late Latin existentia, from Latin exsistere 'come into being', from ex- 'out' + sistere 'take a stand'.