What does existentialism mean?
Existentialism is a philosophical movement that places individual human existence at the center of inquiry. Emerging prominently in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Europe through figures such as Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus, it argues that there is no pre-given human essence or divine blueprint: people first exist, then define themselves through their free choices. This radical freedom brings with it anxiety, responsibility, and the constant task of living authentically rather than conforming to social roles. Although existentialism began as a technical current within philosophy, the word has spread into everyday language, where it often describes any intense questioning of purpose, identity, or meaning — as in 'an existential crisis.' The term carries connotations of seriousness, depth, and sometimes despair, yet its core message is empowering: since meaning is not handed down, each person is free to create it. Understanding 'existentialism' equips readers to engage with much modern literature, theater, psychology, and ethical debate.
nounA philosophical movement centered on individual existence, freedom, and choice, holding that humans define their own meaning in life rather than having a fixed nature or purpose imposed on them. Associated especially with 19th- and 20th-century thinkers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus.
- The philosophical movement holding that existence precedes essence: individuals are radically free and define their own meaning through choices and actions.
- (More loosely) A general outlook or attitude emphasizing personal freedom, responsibility, authenticity, anxiety, and the search for meaning in an indifferent or meaningless world.
"Sartre's brand of existentialism insists that we are condemned to be free, responsible even for choices we did not consciously make."
"Her reading of Kierkegaard drew her toward existentialism during her final year of university."
"The film's protagonist abandons his career and family in a gesture the critics read as pure existentialism."
Sartre claimed we are 'condemned to be free' — for existentialists, even refusing to choose is itself a choice you must answer for.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of existentialism
The word 'existentialism' derives from 'existence,' which comes from Latin 'exsistentia,' from 'exsistere,' meaning 'to stand forth' or 'emerge,' formed from 'ex-' ('out') plus 'sistere' ('to cause to stand'). The philosophical sense was popularized in the mid-twentieth century by Jean-Paul Sartre and Gabriel Marcel in France, building on earlier ideas associated with Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, though those thinkers did not use the label themselves. Cognate forms such as 'existence,' 'existent,' and 'existential' share the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How existentialism is actually used
Primarily used in academic, literary, and intellectual contexts; in casual usage it often refers loosely to any mood of anxiety or crisis about life's meaning rather than the technical philosophical position. Capitalized less often than names of specific schools; usually lowercase.
Easily confused with existentialism
Essentialism is the view that things have fixed, defining essences, whereas existentialism holds that existence precedes essence — that humans create their own nature through choices.
Absurdism (associated with Camus) focuses on the conflict between our search for meaning and the universe's silence, while existentialism more broadly addresses freedom, responsibility, and self-created meaning.