been

verb

Definition of beennext
past participle of be
1
as in lived
to have life stories that begin with the familiar line "once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sat
to occupy a place or location we'll be there waiting for you

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ranked
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes our school's football team is first in its division

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in happened
to take place the party is next Saturday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of been There’ve been so many games within the franchise, so many spin-offs. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 Naperville residents who’ve been unable to use Book Road for most of the year will see a little relief once the stretch between 75th and 83rd streets reopens by month’s end. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 Some of the greatest shows on Earth these days are coming from the road warriors who’ve been out there the longest. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 Especially at both lines of scrimmage, Nebraska seeks players who’ve been through it. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 But nowhere have the politics of data centers been more strained than in the Wisconsin governor’s race. — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026 Over the years, there’ve been so many different initiatives that then sprang out of these talks, which is another amazing thing. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026 The special edition adds her to the scene, on a surface level flexing access to these men who’ve been movers and shakers across consecutive centuries, which could imply an artist seeing their own work on the same level. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 24 July 2026 Three races in, there’ve been unforeseen winners, unpredicted changes to the schedule and the unanticipated reality of regulation changes dawning. — Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for been
  1. lived
  2. sat
  3. ranked
  4. happened
  5. existed
  6. stood
  7. placed
  8. done
Verb
  • When vision keynotes and customer stories promise an autonomous future, but lived experiences don’t match up, trust fades.
    — Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • To the manager, Klara—who’s lived an extraordinary life—is a technological curiosity, no more interesting than a piece of construction equipment.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of lived
Verb
  • This fine establishment has sat at the same address in the Williamsburg Bridge's shadow since 1887, and the interiors carry about as many frills as your average public house—dark wood, plaster walls, and so on.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
  • The birthday boy and his big sister Sterling Skye, 3, each sat between one of their parents’ laps.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of sat
Verb
  • There are currently five teams from the SEC ranked despite having two losses.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The extermination company Terminix ranked 50 cities in the United States with the worst rodent infestations and Sacramento is on the list.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado Updated October 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of ranked
Verb
  • That, however, never happened and an attorney eventually petitioned for his release.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • His death happened two weeks after his release tour for High, Lonesome and Then Some was canceled following Snider’s involvement in a still-unclear incident in Salt Lake City that landed him in a hospital and in jail.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of happened
Verb
  • The Old Mine Cushion style was chosen given its place as one of the earliest styles of diamond cuts — developed in the 1700s, the cut was shaped by hand and instinct under the candlelight before modern technology existed.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • For military and intelligence agencies, the potential now existed for reconnaissance at a far larger scale than what was possible with high-altitude aircraft.
    — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of existed
Verb
  • About 4,400 SpaceX employees stood to become millionaires once the stock began trading, the New York Times reported, and Fortune profiled workers from top executives to welders whose equity is now worth seven figures or more.
    — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Lee, resplendent in a bright orange and blue pinstriped suit with matching hat, stood from his front-row seat, seemingly serving as conciliator.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of stood
Verb
  • Americans have placed an unprecedented bet on the transformative power of artificial intelligence.
    — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Becerril had been assaulted before his body was placed in the trunk, according to the CHP.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of placed
Verb
  • Miami did not commit a penalty in the second half or overtime, but the damage done early was enough to benefit FSU and help keep the game close throughout.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Another important step that was done here is showing that the syndrome data from one round only correlates with the data from the one immediately before and immediately after.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of done

Browse Nearby Words

Beelzebub
been
been friends with
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Cite this Entry

“Been.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/been. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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