absent
Americanadjective
verb (used with object)
preposition
adjective
-
away or not present
-
lacking; missing
-
inattentive; absent-minded
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of absent
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin absent-, stem of absēns “being away,” present participle of abesse “to be away,” from ab- ab- + esse “to be”
Explanation
Absent means not there. If you absent yourself from class, you're marked as absent. If you have an absent parent, it means they don't live with you or take part in your care. Absent can also describe a state of mind, meaning "not all there" or "lost in thought." If you are absent from class on a test day, you will have to explain your absence, unless your teacher is so absent minded she forgets and just gives you an A.
Vocabulary lists containing absent
Education and Academics, List 2
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Module 3: Assessed Vocabulary Guide
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Lacking
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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.
Absent that fear, growth will maintain its premium P/E multiple.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
Absent the government bailout, Spirit is running out of cash, so now the airline is moving forward with plans to liquidate its aircraft fleet and shut down, the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Absent more predictable trends, law enforcement will be spread thin, asked to protect an impossible array of locations across the country against an impossible diversity of threats.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
Absent burning down the house, Nelson told me that’s probably a pipe dream, at least for now.
From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026
Absent smallpox, it seems likely that Cortes would have lost.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
