attendance
Americannoun
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the act of attending.
-
the persons or number of persons present.
an attendance of more than 300 veterans.
idioms
noun
-
the act or state of attending
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the number of persons present
an attendance of 5000 at the festival
-
obsolete attendants collectively; retinue
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of attendance
1325–75; Middle English < Anglo-French, Middle French. See attend, -ance
Explanation
Attendance has to do with being present at something, like work or school. If you never miss a day, you have perfect attendance. The concept of attendance has to do with showing up: if you show up for school, then your attendance is not in question. When people miss school or work, they usually need a note from a doctor, explaining why they weren't in attendance. We can also say "The attendance was 100" if 100 people showed up to a meeting. If only three people out of 100 showed up though, you'd say, "Wow. Attendance was terrible."
Vocabulary lists containing attendance
A Graduation Lexicon
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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.
Attendance has dropped by 50 percent “on a good day,” she said, “and it’s just the White kids and African-American students who are coming to school right now.”
From Salon • Mar. 2, 2026
Attendance at Disney’s parks has been roughly flat for the past two years, with growth coming in large part from price increases.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026
Attendance for the Braves slipped, but that was more than offset by higher ticket prices and broadcast revenue.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025
Attendance soon dipped again as game times routinely crept past three hours — the pitch clock has solved that — and amid the pandemic.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2025
Attendance at Prayvaganzas isn’t compulsory for them, especially if they’re on duty or have young children, but the galleries seem to be filling up anyway.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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.
