exist upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exist upon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is based on or relies on a particular condition or situation. Example: "The success of the project will exist upon the collaboration of all team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Ava Lavender's story shows you the fragile threads we all exist upon and what we do to stay upright.

The Guardian

The existence of these buddhas erases the separation between samsara and nirvana inherent in the idea that buddhas cease to exist upon attaining nirvana.

Britannica

But William holds that these souls cease to exist upon the death of the plant or animal.

SEP

With measured data from an outdoor urban environment, they show that stable subspaces exist upon which transmission is possible without any instantaneous channel state information at the transmitter.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The smaller straight lines reflect the theoretical instantaneous arterial input pressure to blood flow relations that exist upon this autoregulation curve showing how changes in vascular tone from maximal vasoconstriction (far left) to maximal vasodilation (far right) account for this phenomenon.

Annals of Intensive Care

I exist upon that line, at the high end of the female spectrum.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

The analyses show that no stable supercooled liquid region exists upon heating.

Acta Materialia

"I do not believe that a basis exists upon which either of the franchises should be renewed," when they expire in August after 20 years.

The New York Times

Castor declined to charge Cosby with any crime, saying in a statement: "The district attorney finds insufficient, credible, and admissible evidence exists upon which any charge against Mr Cosby could be sustained beyond a reasonable doubt".

The Guardian

Indeed, we are interested on whether a feasible region exists upon the constraint imposed by the gene knockout (7), i.e. whether the fact that the encoded reactions cannot carry flux implies no flux in the biomass equation.

Nature

Earlier experiments using X-ray diffraction have indicated that a new phase of alumina exists upon non-hydrostatic compression of 67 nm particles of γ-alumina to above 35 GPa and quasi-hydrostatic compression to pressures over 50 GPa.

Solid State Communications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exist upon" to emphasize that something's presence or validity is fundamentally linked to a specific condition or foundation. It adds a slightly more formal tone to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "exist upon" in very casual or informal writing where simpler alternatives like "depend on" or "rely on" would be more appropriate. Overuse can make your writing sound stilted or unnatural in everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exist upon" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating reliance or dependence. It suggests that the existence or validity of something is fundamentally linked to a particular condition, circumstance, or foundation. Ludwig's examples show its usage in diverse contexts, from abstract concepts to concrete situations.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "exist upon" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to indicate dependence or reliance. While less common than simpler alternatives like "depend on" or "rely on", it adds a degree of formality to writing and is appropriate for diverse contexts. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase follows standard grammatical rules. It's particularly prevalent in scientific and news media sources, making it a useful addition to a formal vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

depend on

Focuses on reliance or contingency; suggests that something's occurrence or validity is conditional on something else.

rely on

Emphasizes dependence for support or function, often implying a necessary condition.

be dependent on

Directly states the state of being reliant or determined by another factor.

be predicated on

Highlights that something is based on a specific assumption, condition, or foundation.

be contingent on

Underscores the conditional nature of existence or outcome based on another factor.

be conditional on

Highlights the condition that must be met for something to exist or occur.

rest on

Suggests that something's stability or validity is supported by a particular base or foundation.

be founded on

Emphasizes the establishment or creation of something with a specific base or reason.

hinge on

Implies that the outcome or result is significantly determined by one key factor.

turn on

Suggests that the result or state changes based on a pivotal element.

FAQs

How can I use "exist upon" in a sentence?

You can use "exist upon" to indicate that something is based on or relies on a particular condition or situation. For example: "The success of the project will "depend on" the collaboration of all team members" can be rephrased as "The success of the project will exist upon the collaboration of all team members."

What is a simpler alternative to "exist upon"?

Simpler alternatives to "exist upon" include "depend on", "rely on", or "be based on". The choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is "exist upon" formal or informal?

"Exist upon" tends to be more formal than alternatives like "depend on" or "rely on". It is suitable for academic, scientific, or formal writing, but may sound unnatural in casual conversation.

What's the difference between "exist upon" and "be contingent on"?

While both phrases indicate dependence, "exist upon" emphasizes the fundamental reliance of something's existence on a condition. "Be contingent on" highlights that something's occurrence or outcome is conditional on something else. For example, "The agreement is "contingent on" legal review."