Existence is the state of being real, of actually being present in the world. You exist. This dictionary exists. The chair you're sitting on exists. A unicorn, no matter how vividly you picture it, does not exist.

When scientists debate whether life exists on other planets, they're asking if living things are actually out there in the universe, not just in our imaginations or theories. When historians confirm the existence of an ancient city, they've found real evidence that it was truly there.

The word can describe both physical things and ideas. Democracy exists as a form of government in many countries. Kindness exists when people actually show it through their actions. Something can also come into existence or go out of existence: dinosaurs once walked the Earth but are no longer in existence today.

Philosophers have spent centuries pondering questions about existence: Why does anything exist at all? What does it mean to exist? Recognizing that other people exist just as fully as you do, with their own thoughts and feelings, can help you treat them with respect and empathy.