Existence is the state of being real or participating in reality. It can refer to individual entities and the world as a whole. The terms "being", "reality", and "actuality" are often used as close synonyms. Existence contrasts with nonexistence, nothingness, and nonbeing. Some key points about existence include:

• Essence: A common distinction is between the existence of an entity and its essence, which refers to the entitys nature or essential qualities.

• Metaphysics: In metaphysics, existence is that which applies neutrally to all and only those things that are real. Metaphysicians have had a great deal to say about the existence or nonexistence of various things or categories of things, such as God, the soul, a mind-independent or external world, abstract or ideal forms and other universals, possible but not actual objects or worlds, individual essences, and free will.

• Philosophy: Existence raises deep and important problems in metaphysics, philosophy of language, and philosophical logic. Many of the issues can be organized around the following two questions: Is existence a property? What does it mean to ask if existence is a property?.

• Meaning: The meaning of existence is the state or fact of having being especially independently of human consciousness and as contrasted with nonexistence. Existence can also refer to a particular way of life.

Existence is a fundamental concept in philosophy and metaphysics, and it has been explored by many philosophers throughout history.