existential
adjective
ex·is·ten·tial
ˌeg-(ˌ)zi-ˈsten(t)-shəl 
ˌek-(ˌ)si-
1
: of, relating to, or affirming existence
existential propositions
2
a
: grounded in existence or the experience of existence : empirical
b
: having being in time and space
3
existentially
adverb
Examples of existential in a Sentence
child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim believed that fairy tales help children cope with their existential anxieties and dilemmas
Recent Examples on the Web
Gracia Grande, the program officer at the Salvadoran branch of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, told CNN that the law is an existential threat to her NGO’s work.
—
Michael Rios, CNN Money, 1 June 2025
Martina Albertazzi | Bloomberg | Getty Images During the depths of the Covid pandemic, with restaurants around the country facing an existential crisis, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu had an unconventional proposal.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 May 2025
Some observers see in Google’s latest moves nothing short of an existential threat to the open web — and, by extension, to digital journalism.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
The issues of direct funding, provision of overhead, and student visas are important (existential to some schools) and will presumably be litigated and resolved over time.
—Jeffrey Herbst, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for existential
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Michael Rios, CNN Money, 1 June 2025
Martina Albertazzi | Bloomberg | Getty Images During the depths of the Covid pandemic, with restaurants around the country facing an existential crisis, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu had an unconventional proposal.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 May 2025
Some observers see in Google’s latest moves nothing short of an existential threat to the open web — and, by extension, to digital journalism.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
The issues of direct funding, provision of overhead, and student visas are important (existential to some schools) and will presumably be litigated and resolved over time.
—Jeffrey Herbst, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for existential
Cite this Entry
“Existential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/existential. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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