absence
Americannoun
-
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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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.
Ueda’s Absence: Another curveball for already-jittery markets came when the BOJ said Ueda had been hospitalized and would miss next week’s meeting.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
"Absence of representation from the community has meant that rights ensured to us by the constitution have not translated to laws. We also have to go to address that," he said.
From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026
Absence for holidays is not approved in the first half term of the school year but there is a flexible approach after that.
From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025
As I wrote in my 2023 book, “The Long Field – Wales and the Presence of Absence, a Memoir,” the very name “Wales” is a Saxon word meaning “Home of the Foreigners.”
From Salon • May 27, 2024
Absence of moral scandals among the priesthood, 146.
From History of European Morals From Augustus to Charlemagne (Vol. 2 of 2) by Lecky, William Edward Hartpole
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.
