Definitions

were

[wur, wer, wair] / wɜr, wər, wɛər /

VERB

exist

Synonyms

STRONG

abide act breathe continue do endure hold inhabit last live move obtain persist prevail remain rest stand stay subsist survive

WEAK

be alive go on have being have place

Antonyms

STRONG

cease depart die discontinue forsake give up go halt idle leave lose pass quit refuse reject stop

VERB

happen

Synonyms

STRONG

befall occur transpire

WEAK

come about come to pass take place

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Looking across sectors, the strategist said consumer-facing stocks were experiencing trouble, noting weakness in equal-weight discretionary stocks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Photographers and video crews were stationed outside the street level studio in Rockefeller Plaza where the program airs live each weekday.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Participation declined not because households were better off, but because the system was harder to navigate.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

She stated the conversations were regarding "how our day has been, behaviour, their home life, friends, arguments. The normal," says the report.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Maggie didn’t think she had ever visited it before, but it poked at her heart, as if it were a place she had once called home.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith