What does existentialist mean?
An existentialist is a person who embraces existentialism, the philosophical movement that flourished in Europe during and after the Second World War, most famously through Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Albert Camus. Existentialists hold that there is no pre-given human nature or divinely ordained purpose: we simply find ourselves existing, and must define ourselves through our choices. From this flow the movement's signature themes — radical freedom, personal responsibility, authenticity, and the anxiety that comes with realizing nothing outside us can supply our meaning. The word also serves as an adjective, describing works, ideas, or moods in that tradition. Though rooted in formal philosophy, the term has entered everyday language, often applied loosely to feelings of crisis or dread. Knowing it allows you to distinguish a genuine philosophical stance from mere gloominess, and connects you to one of the most influential currents of modern thought.
nounA person who follows or espouses existentialism, the philosophical movement holding that individuals create meaning through their own free choices rather than discovering it in any fixed human nature or divine order. The word also functions as an adjective describing anything relating to existentialism.
- A follower or adherent of existentialism, the philosophical movement associated with thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.
- (As an adjective) Relating to, or characteristic of, existentialism or its themes of freedom, choice, and self-created meaning.
"As a committed existentialist, she argued that anxiety was not a problem to be solved but proof that her choices truly mattered."
"The café on Boulevard Saint-Germain was once a regular haunt of Parisian existentialists like Sartre and de Beauvoir."
"Her novel takes a distinctly existentialist turn, portraying its heroine as radically free to invent herself from nothing."
Standard English plural; used when referring to multiple adherents of the philosophy.
"The postwar generation of French existentialists reshaped literature as much as philosophy."
Sartre insisted he never wanted to be called an existentialist — yet the label stuck so firmly that it now defines an entire era of twentieth-century thought.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of existentialist
Existentialist derives ultimately from the Latin verb existere (also exsistere), formed from ex- ("out") plus sistere ("to stand, place"), literally meaning "to stand forth" or "come into being." The term emerged in nineteenth-century philosophical writing and became widespread in the mid-twentieth century as the label for followers of existentialism, a word popularized by Jean-Paul Sartre and his circle in France. Cognate forms such as "existential," "existence," and "subsist" share the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How existentialist is actually used
The noun is largely confined to discussions of philosophy, intellectual history, and literature, giving it a somewhat academic register. When used as an adjective, it is sometimes applied loosely to any mood of angst or crisis — as in "an existentialist dread" — though careful writers reserve it for matters genuinely connected to the philosophical tradition.
Easily confused with existentialist
An essentialist believes things have fixed, defining natures or essences; an existentialist denies this, holding that existence precedes essence and meaning is created through choice.
"Existential" is the adjective meaning relating to existence (as in "existential threat"), while "existentialist" refers to a person who adheres to existentialist philosophy or to that philosophy's characteristic ideas.