Present Definition & Meaning
present
- adjective
- temporal sense; intermediate between past and future; now existing or happening or in consideration; "the present leader"; "articles for present use"; "the present topic"; "the present system"; "present observations"
- being or existing in a specified place; "the murderer is present in this room"; "present at the wedding"; "present at the creation"
- noun
- the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech; "that is enough for the present"; "he lives in the present with no thought of tomorrow"
- something presented as a gift; "his tie was a present from his wife"
- a verb tense that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking
- verb
- give an exhibition of to an interested audience; "She shows her dogs frequently"; "We will demo the new software in Washington"
- bring forward and present to the mind; "We presented the arguments to him"; "We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason"
- perform (a play), especially on a stage; "we are going to stage `Othello'"
- hand over formally
- introduce; "This poses an interesting question"
- give, especially as an honor or reward; "bestow honors and prizes at graduation"
- give as a present; make a gift of; "What will you give her for her birthday?"
- deliver (a speech, oration, or idea); "The commencement speaker presented a forceful speech that impressed the students"
- cause to come to know personally; "permit me to acquaint you with my son"; "introduce the new neighbors to the community"
- represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture; "The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting"
- present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize; "We confronted him with the evidence"; "He was faced with all the evidence and could no longer deny his actions"; "An enormous dilemma faces us"
- formally present a debutante, a representative of a country, etc.
- recognize with a gesture prescribed by a military regulation; assume a prescribed position; "When the officers show up, the soldiers have to salute"
"Present" in song lyrics
See how present is used in real songs:
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"But can't thread the needle without consultin apprentice present"
Aesop Rock — Skip Town -
"By every lost child at present"
Aesop Rock f/ Percee P — Wake Up Call -
"And raise a fist up you're here in the present"
Alexipharmic — Beauty
Words that rhyme with present
Usage tips for "present"
Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "present" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for present to find words that pair well.