experiencing

IPA/ɪkˈspɪə.ri.əns/
KK[ɪkspˈɪriənsɪŋ]IPA/ɪkˈspɪr.i.əns/

experiencing — verb

  • experiencingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • experiencings3rd person singular
  • experiencinging-ing form
  • experiencingedpast simple

1. to feel something or have something happen to you, especially something that aff

1.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to feel something or have something happen to you, especially something that affects your body or emotions.

Example

Greta is experiencing a lot of pain in her lower back after the accident.

progressive: is experiencing + pain

The company is experiencing serious financial difficulties this quarter.

progressive with institution subject

Common collocations
  • experiencing difficulties
  • experiencing problems
  • experiencing symptoms
  • experiencing growth
  • experiencing pain
  • experiencing a change
  • experiencing a loss
Synonyms
  • going through

    more informal and often suggests a difficult period

  • undergoing

    slightly more formal and often used for procedures or changes

  • feeling

    specifically for emotions or physical sensations

Antonyms
  • avoiding

    to stay away from rather than go through

Grammar Patterns

be + experiencing + noun phrase

experiencing + noun phrase as gerund subject

Usage Note

Common in progressive tenses (be experiencing / have been experiencing) to describe ongoing situations. As a gerund (Experiencing X is...), it functions as a noun. Not used in the simple present for general facts — use experience instead ('I experience anxiety' not 'I am experiencing anxiety' for a general habit).

Common Mistakes

❖ 'I am experiencing headaches sometimes.' ✅ 'I experience headaches sometimes.' — Use the simple present, not the progressive, for repeated or habitual situations.

❖ 'The country experienced a drought now.' ✅ 'The country is experiencing a drought now.' — The progressive is needed for an action happening at this moment.

experiencing — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe being affected by something, but differ in tone and scope. 'Experience' (and its -ing form 'experiencing') is the most neutral and broad — you can experience joy, pain, growth, or failure. 'Go through' is more informal and often implies a difficult or lengthy period: 'She is going through a divorce.' 'Undergo' is more formal and usually reserved for medical procedures, changes, or tests: 'The patient is undergoing surgery.' 'Feel' is narrower — it is used only for emotions and physical sensations, not events or changes: 'I am feeling dizzy' (not 'I am feeling a recession'). 'Encounter' suggests coming across something unexpectedly rather than living through a whole process: 'We encountered some resistance from the local community.' For ongoing, internal, or gradual processes, 'experiencing' is the most versatile and safest choice for learners.

go through ↗undergo ↗feel ↗encounter

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • going through
  • living through
  • be subjected to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

'Experiencing' is the present participle and gerund form of 'experience', which comes from Latin 'experientia' (trial, proof, experiment), derived from 'experiri' (to try, test). 'Experiri' itself combines 'ex-' (out of) + 'periri' (to go through, to try), related to 'periculum' (danger, trial). The word entered English through Old French 'experience'. The -ing suffix creates the form used for progressive tenses and gerund constructions.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb