Word
existence
Phoneticsex·is·tence, stress on the second syllable
US/ɛɡˈzɪstəns/
UK/ɛɡzˈɪstəns/
Definitions
01the state of being real
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the fact of being real or living.
n. the state of being, existing, or occurring in reality.
日本語:存在※
“Scientists are still looking for proof of the existence of life on other planets.”
“The discovery of these ancient ruins finally confirmed the existence of a sophisticated civilisation that had previously been considered mythical.”
Antonyms
02a way of living
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a particular way of life, especially a difficult one.
n. a specific mode of living or staying alive, often used to describe a person's daily life or survival.
“The family led a quiet existence in a small village by the sea.”
“After the economic collapse, many families were forced into a precarious existence, relying entirely on seasonal agricultural work to survive.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “existence” in context.
Verb
01. assume existence
“Scientists often assume the existence of dark matter to explain the movement of galaxies.”
verb + noun
02. confirm existence
“Recent satellite images have helped to confirm the existence of a lost city in the jungle.”
verb + noun
03. demonstrate existence
“The experiment was designed to demonstrate the existence of gravitational waves.”
verb + noun
04. imply existence
“The presence of water on the planet might imply the existence of microscopic life.”
verb + noun
05. indicate existence
“These ancient tools indicate the existence of human settlements in this area thousands of years ago.”
verb + noun
06. reveal existence
“The investigation helped reveal the existence of a secret government program.”
verb + noun
07. suggest existence
“New data suggest the existence of a previously unknown species of deep-sea fish.”
verb + noun
Noun
08. existence of
“Philosophers have long debated the existence of a higher power.”
noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“Yet experiments could not provide direct physical evidence of the Higgs boson's existence before the LHC, which is operated by CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.” “Meg had an uneasy relationship with being a public figure during the White Stripes’ active existence.” “For years before his insight, Anselm had been searching for a new way of understanding God’s existence.” Etymology
From Middle English existence, from Old French existence, from Late Latin existentia (“existence”), from existēns, from existō, exsistō (“I am, I exist”), from ex (“out”) + sistere (“to set, place”) (related to stare (“to stand, to be stood”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European stísteh₂ti, from the root steh₂- (“stand”). Cognate with Spanish existencia, French existence, German Existenz. Morphologically exist + -ence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/existence
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0