as in empirical
based on observation or experience
child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim believed that fairy tales help children cope with their existential anxieties and dilemmas
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Recent Examples of existential
The cold, Gucci-belt pragmatism of Thomas is the play’s existential refrain.
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Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Presumably, most of us would be happy with fixing the climate, since that existential problem often seems insurmountable.
—John Werner, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Property values, insurance rates and building codes are changing, and experts are warning that unnatural disasters like Hurricane Helene are just the opening acts of an existential threat.
—Bill Weir, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
The decision to move abroad – to become an immigrant, essentially – is a big one, full of logistical hurdles and existential questions.
—Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for existential 
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Presumably, most of us would be happy with fixing the climate, since that existential problem often seems insurmountable.
—John Werner, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Property values, insurance rates and building codes are changing, and experts are warning that unnatural disasters like Hurricane Helene are just the opening acts of an existential threat.
—Bill Weir, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
The decision to move abroad – to become an immigrant, essentially – is a big one, full of logistical hurdles and existential questions.
—Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for existential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for existential
Adjective
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So having empirical evidence of a method that works, even in just some situations, is encouraging.Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
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In this case, our empirical look at how our averages are operating is reassuring us that things are working as intended.G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Effective facilitation is key to this activity and will help organizations explore creative solutions in an objective manner.Swapna Sathyan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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But Lichtman pushed back against those claims and said that his economic analysis is objective and rooted in history dating back to 1860.Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Unfortunately, there’s no experimental evidence suggesting any truth to this.Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024
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The end product is one of Nike’s most experimental designs to date.Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Existential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/existential. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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