absence

American  

[ab-suhns] / ˈæb səns /

noun

• absences
  plural

1. state of being away or not being present.

   I acted as supervisor in his absence. Your absence was noted on the records.

   Antonyms:

   presence

2. period of being away.

   an absence of several weeks.

3. failure to attend or appear when expected.

4. lack; deficiency.

   the absence of proof.

5. inattentiveness; preoccupation; absent-mindedness.

   absence of mind.

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absence British  

/ ˈæbsəns /

noun

1. the state of being away

2. the time during which a person or thing is away

3. the fact of being without something; lack

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absence Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing absence

• conspicuous by its absence

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• absences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of absence

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin absentia; see absent, -ia

Explanation

Absence is the state of not being someplace, like school. It can also refer to the amount of time something has been, or plans to be gone. We most commonly think of absence as the opposite of present in places school, but really it can refer to anything that's missing or something that's lacking. Darkness is an absence of light, and cold is an absence of heat. The figure of speech "absence makes the heart grow fonder" means "when my beloved isn't here, my feelings for them get even stronger" or "when something's gone, you want it even more."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

absence absences

The Attorney General's Office stated in a press release that, given Mariaca's "definitive absence," the next most senior public prosecutor, Luis Montano Morales, would replace him on an interim basis.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

Taken together, the measured distance, the absence of a supernova and the properties of the burst provided strong evidence that the event came from a neutron star merger.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

“In the absence of a decisive end to the conflict, the balance of risks to oil prices will remain skewed to the upside,” said Hamad Hussain, a senior economist at Capital Economics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

“An absence of flexibility around proprietary information could put manufacturers in a difficult position with their suppliers or lead to public disclosure of legitimate confidential business information,” he wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

Lizzie’s absence left Calvin in need of care.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Sinner and Alcaraz swept the board between them at the majors in 2024 and 2025 - and Zverev has taken full advantage against the rest of the field in their absences.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

The lawsuit claims Amazon’s actions violate the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which entitles pregnant employees to reasonable accommodations and pregnancy-related absences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Representatives of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands said the absences would not affect the meeting's outcomes.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

Raman countered that many of her absences were the result of her attendance on regional boards and oversight bodies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Since I’ve spent most of my time in 13 disoriented, worried, angry, being remade, or hospitalized, I can’t say Gale’s absences have inconvenienced me.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• dearth
• deficiency
• drought
• lack
• omission