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.

The oldest human remains ever discovered in Northern Britain have now been identified as those of a young girl who lived around 11,000 years ago.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

“We always joke that ever since then, EIT has been a barnacle on the side of the Meow Wolf ship, just hanging on but also occasionally hopping in to contribute,” Maier says.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

In reality, this information has been widely known for decades.

From Salon • May 20, 2026

England have been criticised for a perceived disconnect between the national set-up and the county game.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

I sit, realizing she must’ve been eavesdropping on my conversation with Ben on the plane.

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