Meaning & use
exist
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To be real or present in the world; to have actual being.
Grammar: No object. Rarely used in continuous tenses: say 'dinosaurs existed', not 'were existing'.
Patterns
- something exists
- exist in something
- exist for a time
Dinosaurs existed millions of years ago.
Does life exist on other planets?
The old customs still exist in some rural areas.
verbintransitive
To live, especially in difficult conditions or with very little money.
Grammar: Often followed by 'on' or 'by' to show how someone survives.
Patterns
- exist on something
- exist by doing something
- barely exist
Many families exist on less than two dollars a day.
He existed by collecting scrap metal.
The refugees were existing on minimal food supplies.
verbintransitive
To be found or to occur in a particular place or situation.
Grammar: Often used with 'in' or 'among'.
Patterns
- exist in something
- exist among people
- exist between things
A strong bond exists between the two sisters.
Similar problems exist in many developing countries.
No such rule exists in our school.
Word forms
| third person singular | exists |
|---|---|
| past tense | existed |
| past participle | existed |
| -ing form | existing |
Common combinations
- continue to exist
- The ancient language continues to exist in remote villages.
- exist independently
- The two organizations exist independently of each other.
- barely exist
- After the war, the economy barely existed.
- cease to exist
- Many species may cease to exist if we do not protect them.
- exist on a small income
- They exist on a very small income.
Synonyms and how they differ
- be
- The most basic verb for existence; 'exist' often emphasizes reality or survival, while 'be' is used for simple identity or location.
- live
- Focuses on being alive, especially for people and animals; 'exist' can suggest a bare or difficult survival.
- occur
- Used for events or things that happen or are found; 'exist' is more about a state of being real.
- subsist
- A formal word meaning to survive with very little; similar to 'exist on' but more technical.
Opposites
Word family
- existence noun
- The state of being real or alive.
- existent adjective
- Existing or real; often used in negative sentences.
- existing adjective
- Present or current; already in place.
- nonexistent adjective
- Not real or not present.
Commonly confused: exist or exit?
exist vs exit
Exit means to go out or a way out; exist means to be real. They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Practice
Many people in the region ___ on less than a dollar a day.
Choose one answer.
Exist is correct because the subject 'people' is plural and the simple present is used for general facts. 'Are existing' (option 1) is not used because exist is a state verb. 'Exists' (option 2) is singular and does not agree with 'people'. 'Existing' (option 3) is a participle and cannot be the main verb here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.