non-existent

IPA/ˌnɒn ɪɡˈzɪstənt/
KK[nˌɑnəɡzˈɪstənt]IPA/ˌnɑːn ɪɡˈzɪstənt/

non-existent — adjective

1. describing something that has no actual existence — either because it was never

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing something that has no actual existence — either because it was never made, is no longer around, or cannot be found where you expect it.

Example

Rachid checked the storage room twice, but the missing files were simply non-existent.

collocation: non-existent [concrete object]

The CEO dismissed the merger rumors as completely non-existent.

Common collocations
  • non-existent evidence
  • non-existent threat
  • non-existent resources
  • non-existent documents
  • non-existent problem
Synonyms
  • imaginary

    suggests something created in the mind, not merely absent

  • absent

    implies something was expected but is missing, not necessarily unreal

  • mythical

    implies a story or legend rather than actual existence, often with cultural weight

Antonyms
  • existing

    the direct opposite — having real presence or availability

  • actual

    emphasises verifiable reality rather than mere presence

Usage Note

Both spellings — non-existent (with hyphen) and nonexistent (closed) — are correct. The hyphenated form is more common in British English; the closed form is standard in American English.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe something that is not real or not present, but they differ in why and how. Non-existent is the broadest: it covers anything that has no actual existence, whether it was a rumour, a missing object, or an unmet expectation. Imaginary carries a subjective feel — something created in the mind, like an imaginary friend or a fear of an imaginary threat. Fictional belongs to stories: a fictional character is part of a narrative, while a non-existent person is simply not there. Absent is narrower, used when something is missing from a place where it was expected, but it does not question whether the thing is real elsewhere. For example: 'The evidence was non-existent' means there was none at all; 'The evidence was absent' could mean it existed but was not in the file.

imaginary ↗fictional ↗absent ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed by combining the prefix non- (meaning 'not') with the adjective existent (from Latin exsistēns, 'coming forth, appearing'). The word first appeared in English in the mid-17th century, following the pattern of earlier Latinate negatives.