absence
Americannoun
-
absences
plural
-
state of being away or not being present.
I acted as supervisor in his absence. Your absence was noted on the records.
- Antonyms:
- presence
-
period of being away.
an absence of several weeks.
-
failure to attend or appear when expected.
-
lack; deficiency.
the absence of proof.
-
inattentiveness; preoccupation; absent-mindedness.
absence of mind.
noun
-
the state of being away
-
the time during which a person or thing is away
-
the fact of being without something; lack
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing absence
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 1
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List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But there is no standardized public key for deciphering them; codes vary among plants and products, and the absence of an obvious “TF” is no guarantee Taylor Farms wasn’t involved.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
A senior vice president and the chief financial officer will oversee operations during CEO Ted Decker’s absence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Promoted from the Championship through the play-offs in May 2025, the Black Cats marked their return to the top flight after an eight-year absence with a remarkable campaign.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
How did you think about her backstory with that kind of absence?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
I shouldn’t have been surprised anymore by Mom’s absence, but I still was—every single time.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
Suburban growth—and burgeoning communities across the South and West—means the report has some conspicuous absences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Garcia was fired in 2024 for tardiness and absences that he claims were justified.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
A third calls for a pulse check on a law passed by the Legislature in 2025 that lets public schools excuse student absences for off-campus religious instruction.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
The list of triumphant comebacks after extended absences is brief.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
During Tsalig's absences, I found ways to keep myself busy.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
