EXISTING Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

existing 1 of 2

adjective

as in extant

having being at the present time existing breeds of the turkey that graces our Thanksgiving table are said to bear little resemblance to the gamy birds that the Pilgrims enjoyed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

existing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of exist

as in living

to have life strive to have a full, rich life rather than merely exist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of existing

Adjective

For that reason, the law forbids using the new funding simply to maintain existing levels. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Kelly and Hunt, and is based on the pre-existing format and characters from NBC Sports. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 July 2026 One child was transported to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure due to a pre-existing medical history, according to the EOPD. — Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026 Prosecutors said the exec also feared that refusing to sell the pre-IPO stock would hurt the company’s pre-existing partnership with the sheriff’s department. — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 23 July 2026 This might not be realistic if existing contracts have locked in pricing for multi-year deals. — Amir Hudda, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 And on May 26, a 44-year-old male with pre-existing conditions had back pain on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a log ride with a dramatic drop. — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026 Paramount has agreed to a request from 12 states to link their federal antitrust case to a pre-existing suit brought by Paramount+ subscribers. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 July 2026 The discount flips in the West, where existing homes run $55,500 above new, and the South, where the gap is just $700. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 15 July 2026

Verb

The core challenge is agents' ability to exploit existing weaknesses at scale, necessitating improved governance and careful permission management. — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The company also designed the chip to work with leading server platforms based on Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors, improving compatibility across existing data-center infrastructure. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026 Its textured facade will support soil, water, plants, and wildlife, extending the existing riverside park vertically, while multiple windows and external staircases are integrated into the rock-like forms. — New Atlas, 1 Aug. 2026 Pre-emption rights are legal or contractual provisions that allow existing shareholders to purchase shares before they are offered to external parties. — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 The church leaders called on lawmakers to retain existing tax exemptions for charitable organizations such as maternity homes, domestic violence shelters and food banks if Amendment 5 passes. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 The city’s new north side sewer interceptor crosses 15 of the existing properties, so those easements will be put into the four new parcels. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026 Analysts say Apple can go back to a model where its existing businesses go to the design team for direction, rather than designers reshaping ideas to fit what operations and finance want. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 25 July 2026 What to read next The new technique uses infrared thermal images and existing computer models to reconstruct a map of distortions across the mirror's surface. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for existing

Adjective

Red dwarfs are very volatile bodies, giving off enormous amounts of X-rays and ultraviolet energy, both of which can destroy extant life or prevent it from getting started in the first place.

— Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 16 July 2026
After Rogers left his job at the store, husband and wife had a go at a similar scheme, shilling aluminum cookware for the company Wear-Ever Aluminum (still extant as WearEver Cookware).

— Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 15 July 2026

Definition of extant

Verb

Larger suites have extra living space, bathrooms, and in many, the option to connect to another room.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Repacking atoms To see how different a material can look and feel depending on how its atoms are packed, think about the element carbon, one of Earth’s most common elements and an important component of all living organisms.

— Robin Macaluso, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of living

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“Existing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/existing. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of existing

adjective

verb

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