existent

IPA/ɪɡˈzɪstənt/
KK[ɛɡzˈɪstənt]IPA/ɪɡˈzɪstənt/

existent — 形容詞

  • existentpositive
  • more existentcomparative
  • most existentsuperlative

1. in a place or situation at the current time, often after some earlier period whe

1.形容詞C2
釋義

現存的

目前仍在的，多指規定或紀錄

in a place or situation at the current time, often after some earlier period when it might have ended.

例句

The existent road map of the town is too old to trust.

鎮上現存的道路地圖太舊，已不可信。

the existent + noun

Joon studied the rules currently existent in the housing law.

Joon 研究了住宅法中目前現存的規定。

currently existent + noun phrase

同義詞
  • current

    the everyday word for what is in place at the present time

  • present

    stresses being there at the moment, often before a noun like 'situation' or 'system'

  • existing

    the broad and far more common everyday choice in writing and speech

反義詞
  • former

    used for something that was in place before but is no longer

  • future

    used for plans or things expected later, not yet here

  • obsolete

    used when something has been replaced and is no longer in use

文法句型

the + existent + noun

currently existent

still existent

用法筆記

Frequently appears before a noun that names a record, rule, structure, or piece of land. Sense 1 is about time (the thing is here at the current moment); sense 2 is about reality (the thing is real, not made-up). When in doubt, choose 'current' or 'present' for daily speech.

常見錯誤

❌My existent friend Christopher lives nearby.
✅My current friend Christopher lives nearby.
💡'existent' sounds odd for ordinary people in daily speech; reserve it for formal writing about rules, records, or structures.

2. real and able to be observed, rather than only imagined, predicted, or possible

2.形容詞C2
釋義

實際存在的

確實存在於現實，非空想

real and able to be observed, rather than only imagined, predicted, or possible in theory.

例句

Cyrus argued that the danger was real and existent, not made up by the press.

Cyrus 主張那個危險真實且實際存在，並非媒體捏造。

real and existent (contrast with imagined)

Public trust in the new policy is barely existent among older voters.

年長選民對新政策的信任幾乎不存在。

barely existent (degree adverb)

同義詞
  • real

    the everyday word for something that actually exists, not made-up

  • actual

    stresses the contrast with what was claimed, planned, or expected

  • tangible

    suggests something you can touch, see, or measure

反義詞
  • imaginary

    used for things that exist only in the mind

  • hypothetical

    used for ideas considered only in theory

  • nonexistent

    the direct negative — not present at all in reality

文法句型

be + existent

barely existent

scarcely existent

用法筆記

Most often used predicatively (after 'be') and modified by a degree adverb such as 'barely', 'scarcely', 'hardly', or 'clearly'. Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is whether the thing is real at all, not whether it is here right now. Sense 2 commonly appears in negative or near-negative contexts (barely / hardly existent).

常見錯誤

❌My doubts are very existent.
✅My doubts are very real.
💡'existent' is rarely used alone with 'very'; pair it with adverbs like 'barely', 'scarcely', 'hardly', or 'clearly'.