existential
/ˌeɡ.zɪˈsten.ʃəl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Relating to human existence, life, or the fact of being alive. It often asks big questions about meaning, choice, and freedom.
- She had an existential fear after losing her job.
- The film explores existential questions about purpose.
- He went through an existential crisis.
Adinary Nuance
Existential is more serious and philosophical than practical or personal. It often describes deep questions about life, meaning, or identity, not just everyday problems. Writers use it when a situation feels larger than normal stress or worry.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- hiện sinh
- Spanish
- existencial
- Chinese
- 存在的
- Japanese
- 実存的な
- Korean
- 실존적인
Etymology
From Latin existentia, meaning “existence,” and later French existential. It entered English in the 19th century, then became common in philosophy and modern writing.
Common phrases
existential crisisexistential questionexistential threatexistential dread
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is existential a formal word?
- Yes. It is common in academic, serious, and written English.
- What is the difference between existential and practical?
- Practical means useful in real life. Existential means about life, meaning, or being alive.
- What does existential crisis mean?
- It means a strong feeling of confusion about life, purpose, or identity.
- Can I use existential in business writing?
- Yes, but usually for serious risks like an existential threat to a company.