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

But another notable absence is Japan's Sony, maker of the PlayStation 5 console.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

“In the absence of material escalation and amid continuing grey flows through the Strait of Hormuz, oil markets remained mostly in a wait-and-see mode,” Peter Sidorov of Deutsche Bank wrote in a note on Tuesday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Taken together, we see hope and its absence wedged in the backseat.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

Sinner's decision comes a day after his great rival Carlos Alcaraz announced he is competing at Flushing Meadows following a four-month absence with a wrist injury.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

You don’t have to have a number to express the lack of something, and it didn’t occur to anybody to assign a symbol to the absence of objects.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

For many Cameroonians, however, Biya's repeated absences over the past two decades have become a source of growing frustration.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

"With atypical absences that last longer, people may have automatic movements like fidgeting with their hands, eyelid fluttering and lip smacking. Some people may fall."

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Dianne Feinstein’s final years in office involved repeated reporting on cognitive decline and absences, raising difficult questions about when coverage becomes invasive or speculative.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

The list of triumphant comebacks after extended absences is brief.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

"Just a reminder" the counselor said more quietly, then turned to the computer screen to get back to the matter of my unexcused absences.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour

Related Words

• dearth
• deficiency
• drought
• lack
• omission