existentialist
existentialist Lexical Profile
existentialist Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to, characteristic of, or advocating existentialism or its emphasis on individual freedom, choice, and subjective experience.
"The novel explores existentialist themes of personal responsibility and the search for meaning in a chaotic world."
• noun
A philosopher, writer, or proponent who advocates existentialism, emphasizing individual existence, freedom, and choice in an unfathomable universe.
"As a committed existentialist, she believed that individuals must create their own purpose through their actions and choices."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective, 'existentialist' specifically refers to the philosophical and literary movement (e.g., 'existentialist literature'), whereas 'existential' more broadly relates to human existence itself or to a threat to survival (e.g., 'an existential crisis').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-20th century from French existentialiste, derived from existentialisme ('existentialism'), which was popularized by philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.