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
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the state of being away
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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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List 2
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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.
See Examples For:
The misconduct hearing began on Wednesday morning in Noble's absence and has since been adjourned.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Yet more data is needed to understand the importance of family in detail and to correct misinterpretations that appear to be supported by the absence of such data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In her absence, Shadow is pulling double duty, caring for two growing eaglets — Sandy and Luna — by feeding them and protecting their territory.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
That absence led many researchers to conclude that apes and their close relatives were largely restricted to areas farther south in Africa at the time.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Do you have a note from home about your absence last week? You never gave me one.”
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
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
They also cited such concerns as the high number of student absences and graduation rates that trailed nearby campuses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Health-related absences short of death can also scramble things.
From Slate ● Apr. 24, 2026
Since I’ve spent most of my time in 13 disoriented, worried, angry, being remade, or hospitalized, I can’t say Gale’s absences have inconvenienced me.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
