absence

American  

[ab-suhns] / ˈæb səns /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of absence

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin absentia; 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

The overdue federal ban on BVO underscores a larger shift: in the absence of swift federal action, states are increasingly driving food safety policy in the U.S.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

“In the absence of official oversight and enforcement, unmitigated expansion of the fireworks businesses operating at the site in Esparto led directly to death and destruction.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

“In short, winners keep winning and losers keep losing, in the absence of a clear strategic inflection tied to the leadership change,” Ma concludes.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

So the absence of a further escalation is a definite relief for the global economy as finance ministers fly into Washington DC for key IMF meetings.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

The sarcasm that had repelled, the harshness that had startled me once, were only like keen condiments in a choice dish: their presence was pungent, but their absence would be felt as comparatively insipid.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• dearth
• deficiency
• drought
• lack
• omission