WordGarden.iononexistent
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /nˌɒnɛɡzˈɪstənt/
US
- /ˌnɑnəɡˈzɪstənt/
Meanings
Adjective
not existing or not present at all
Beyond the definition
Imagine following a treasure map and finding nothing at the end. That is the idea behind nonexistent. It describes something that is not real, is not there, or never appeared in the first place. We use it for made-up things like unicorns, but also for real-life situations where something was expected and never showed up. A promised refund, a solution that never comes, or support that is completely absent can all be described this way. It can even describe qualities in a person, such as nonexistent patience or nonexistent interest.
The word nonexistent describes something that does not exist at all. It may be completely unreal, like an imaginary creature, or it may refer to something that people expected to be there but that was actually missing. The word is built from "non-" meaning "not" and "existent" meaning "existing."
You will often see nonexistent used for things that are clearly made up, such as mythical creatures or imaginary places. But it is also common in everyday situations. If funding never arrives, the support was nonexistent. If someone offers no help at all, their help was nonexistent. If a plan has no real chance of working, people may say the chances are nonexistent.
Sometimes, nonexistent is used to stress a complete lack of something. For example, if there is nonexistent evidence for a claim, there is no evidence at all. If communication between two people is nonexistent, they are not really communicating. If interest in an event is nonexistent, almost no one cares about it.
The word also works well for abstract qualities. A person may show nonexistent patience, nonexistent concern, or nonexistent attention to detail. In these cases, the word does not mean the person literally lacks the ability forever; it usually means that, in that moment or situation, the quality is so absent that it may as well not exist.
So, whether you are talking about something imaginary, something promised but never delivered, or a quality that is completely missing, nonexistent is the word for something that is simply not there.
Examples
- 1
Delivery
The package was sent to a nonexistent address.
- 2
Remote areas
Cell service is nonexistent in the mountains.
- 3
Workplace training
After the budget cuts, staff training became almost nonexistent.
- 4
Evidence
Evidence for that claim is virtually nonexistent.
- Phrasevirtually nonexistent
almost nonexistent
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Public services
In many small towns, public transportation is all but nonexistent after dark.
- Phraseall but nonexistent
almost completely absent
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- nonexistent evidence
- virtually nonexistent
- all but nonexistent
Word family
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Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- nonexistentadjective