If you’ve ever paused at existence and wondered if existance might be the right spelling, you’re not alone. The mix-up is mostly about a tiny ending that sounds the same in speech, then flips in writing. Here’s the clean answer, plus the why behind it, with real usage and clear patterns you can trust.
Quick Answer
If you’re writing formally or casually, the spelling stays the same: existence.
The Correct Spelling
✅ Correct The standard spelling is existence. The ending is -ence, not -ance. In edited English, existance is treated as a spelling error, even though it looks believable next to other words that end in -ance.
Dictionaries list existence as the entry spelling, and they treat existance as something you may see in older borrowing history or modern typos, not as a current standard form. That’s why spellcheck flags it so aggressively in academic and professional writing.✅Source
Small detail, big signal: existence is a word that shows up in definitions, policies, research, and documentation. A clean spelling reads as careful and credible without trying.
Meaning and Grammar Notes
Existence is a noun. It usually points to the fact of being real, or to a continuing state of being. In everyday English, it also appears as a neutral way to talk about a way of life (often meaning “daily life” without drama).
- Fact of being real: The existence of the file was confirmed.
- Continuing state: The project’s existence depends on steady funding.
- Way of life: She enjoys a quiet existence near the coast.
- Part of Speech
- Noun (uncountable most often, countable in “a/an existence” for a way of life)
- Common Pairings
- in existence, come into existence, continued existence, mere existence
- Close Relatives
- exist (verb), existing (adjective), existent (adjective), nonexistence (noun)
Why “Existance” Shows Up
The typo existance feels “right” for two reasons. First, the sound at the end of existence is usually just a quick -əns in conversation, so the ear doesn’t clearly separate -ence from -ance. Second, English has many everyday nouns ending in -ance, and they sit right next to this word in your memory.
Common Words That End in -ance
- distance (looks close)
- resistance (same rhythm)
- importance (very common)
- appearance (easy to recall)
Why That A Sneaks In
Your brain often stores the ending as a sound pattern, not a spelling pattern. When a word “feels like” distance or resistance, the a becomes a predictable typo. That’s why existance shows up so often in drafts and notes.
The -ence Pattern and Word Family
In modern English, existence is tied tightly to the verb exist. That connection matters because the noun is basically “the state of existing,” and standard spelling keeps the family consistent: exist → existence → existing. The verb itself is defined as “to have real being,” which is exactly the idea the noun expands into.✅Source
- exist (verb)
- existence (noun)
- existing (adjective)
- existent (adjective)
- nonexistence (noun)
- coexistence (noun)
One extra detail: existent and existing are both real adjectives, but they don’t feel identical. existing is the everyday choice for “already there,” while existent reads more technical or formal, especially in analytical writing.
Pronunciation and Spelling Feel
Most speakers pronounce existence with the stress on the second syllable and a light ending that can sound like a quick “-uhns.” That sound blur is the core reason the spelling drifts to existance in typing, even when the writer knows the meaning. Standard dictionaries show the pronunciation as /ɪɡˈzɪs.təns/, which matches what you hear in normal speech.✅Source
Sound note: The “t” in existence is often soft in fast speech. That’s normal. The spelling still holds the -ence ending, and that’s the piece that matters on the page.
Common Phrases and Natural Examples
These are the phrases where existence shows up the most in real writing. They’re also where the misspelling existance sneaks in, because the word often sits near fast, functional language like “in,” “into,” and “of.”
- in existence (still around)
- come into existence (begin)
- bring into existence (create)
- continued existence (ongoing)
- mere existence (just being there)
- proof of existence (evidence)
- right to existence (neutral, formal phrase)
- conditions of existence (context)
| Phrase | Example Sentence | What It Signals |
|---|---|---|
| in existence | The original design is still in existence in the archive. | still available, not gone |
| come into existence | A new edition can come into existence after the review cycle. | beginning or starting point |
| continued existence | The team planned updates to support the product’s continued existence. | ongoing survival over time |
| mere existence | For some collectors, the mere existence of a rare variant is exciting. | just being real, nothing more |
One easy spot to watch is the pair existence vs existing. Existence names the state; existing describes something that’s already there. That difference is small, yet it keeps sentences clean and avoids awkward repetition.
Common Mix-Ups Nearby
Existence isn’t the only word where the ear doesn’t fully protect the spelling. Many English endings sound similar in fast speech, and writers keep things stable by leaning on a single, consistent reference point. A well-known university writing guide notes the value of using the same dictionary across drafting and editing for consistent spelling choices, which lines up with how careful writers treat tricky endings like -ence and -ance.✅Source
-ence Words People Often Recognize Fast
- existence (-ence)
- difference (-ence)
- evidence (-ence)
- presence (-ence)
- persistence (-ence)
-ance Words That Pull Spelling Off Track
- distance (-ance)
- resistance (-ance)
- importance (-ance)
- appearance (-ance)
- guidance (-ance)
If you want a single clean takeaway: ✅ existence is the correct spelling in modern English, and ❌ existance is treated as a typo. That’s true in emails, reports, essays, and web content.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “existance” ever correct?
In modern English, existance is treated as a misspelling. If it appears in older materials, it’s typically a historical form or a transcription artifact, not a spelling you’d use in current writing.
What does “existence” mean in plain English?
Existence means being real or being present. It can also mean a way of life when you say “an existence,” especially in everyday descriptions.
Is the spelling different in American and British English?
No. Existence is spelled the same in American English and British English. The word doesn’t have a common regional variant like some -ise/-ize pairs.
How is “existence” pronounced?
Most speakers say it with stress on the second syllable, and the ending often sounds like a quick -uhns. That sound is why existance looks tempting, even though existence is the correct spelling.
What’s the difference between “existence” and “existing”?
Existence is the noun for the state of being real. Existing is the adjective for something already there. They’re close, but they play different roles in a sentence.
What adjective goes with “existence”?
You’ll see existing in everyday writing and existent in more formal contexts. Existential is also related, but it usually points to ideas or questions about existence, not just “already there.”