1
a
: the quality or state of having existence
a social movement that came into being in the 1960s
artistic form comes into being only when two elements are successfully fused—
Carlos Lynes
Carlos Lynes
b(1)
: something that is conceivable and hence capable of existing
(2)
: something that actually exists
(3)
: the totality of existing things
c
: conscious existence : life
2
: the qualities that constitute an existent thing : essence
I knew it was true in the core of my being.
especially
: personality
3
: a living thing
sentient beings
a mythical being
: present
—used in the phrase for the time being
plans to remain single for the time being
being
4 of 4present participle of be
Examples of being in a Sentence
Noun
a social movement that was brought into being in the 1960s
I knew it was true in the core of my being.
Conjunction
being as how I paid for lunch, I'd appreciate it if you picked up the tab for dinner
Recent Examples on the Web
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The last photo in the post showed a close-up shot of the newborn being bottle fed.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
There, Kerss, with a telltale red light on his zipper (the only way to set him apart from all the other hooded beings out there), uses a green laser pointer to direct our eyes up toward the sky.
—Heather Greenwood Davis, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
The reasoning was similar to the running back conundrum; the one difference being, of course, that it was widely believed the Panthers could benefit from upgrading the room.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for being
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Noun
That these beings, born in the explosion of stars, love pyrotechnics, and that is why there is war.
—Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
The last photo in the post showed a close-up shot of the newborn being bottle fed.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
There, Kerss, with a telltale red light on his zipper (the only way to set him apart from all the other hooded beings out there), uses a green laser pointer to direct our eyes up toward the sky.
—Heather Greenwood Davis, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
The reasoning was similar to the running back conundrum; the one difference being, of course, that it was widely believed the Panthers could benefit from upgrading the room.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for being
Cite this Entry
“Being.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/being. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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