been

[bin, ben] / bɪn, bɛn /

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.

“I’ve met with presidents, prime ministers, been in war zones, all sorts of things,” Lesch said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

“If that ends up happening, it’s a lot better than it’s been for either party the last few years,” Phillips said.

From Salon • May 4, 2026

"The BJP has been a major force in Bengal for three successive elections, consistently polling around 39% of the popular vote," says Rahul Verma, who is a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Last year would’ve been particularly disappointing — those seasonal investors would’ve missed a 14% run in stocks from May to September, a period when Treasurys returned 3%.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

The middle-aged South Asian couple who had been seated across the aisle is standing between her and us.

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