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

The researchers next investigated whether increasing BiP could compensate for the absence of p58IPK.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

The family has said the funds will go towards funeral expenses and help fill the void in his absence.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

The sudden absence of his mate of eight years has left many nest cam fans to wonder what’s next for the family.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

The absence of fresh overnight escalations halted the global oil benchmark’s upward march, as investors hope leaders seek an off-ramp.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Pops’s absence is still too heavy for me to deal with alone.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

The inspectors outlined serious concerns about high levels of mental health-related absences and the high proportion of officers applying for ill-health retirement.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 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

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

Frank Millet unofficially kept watch over the buildings of the eastern architects during their lengthy absences from the park, lest some ad hoc decision cause irreparable aesthetic damage.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Related Words

• dearth
• deficiency
• drought
• lack
• omission