ENGLISH
REFERENCE

nonexistent

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌnɑnəɡˈzɪstənt// UK //nˌɒnɛɡzˈɪstənt// nonex·is·tent

adj. not real or not present at all. You use this to describe something that does not exist in a certain place or situation.

adj. not existing or not present in a particular place or context. Often used to describe abstract qualities or physical objects that are completely absent.


SIMPLE

The security at the old building is almost nonexistent.

CONTEXTUAL

The company promised high salaries, but the actual benefits for new employees were nonexistent.

COMPLEX

While the author claims the book is based on historical facts, any evidence for these events is nonexistent in the official records of the era.

Antonyms
Origin

From non- + existent.

Usage

Typically used predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become', but can also appear attributively before a noun.

Pitfall

The problem is none-existent.The problem is nonexistent.Learners sometimes add a hyphen or misspell the prefix; 'nonexistent' is the standard spelling in modern English.

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