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Synonyms

absentee

American  
[ab-suhn-tee] / ˌæb sənˈti /

noun

  1. a person who is absent, especially from work or school.

  2. a person who is defined by their absence, such as a landowner who does not live on certain property owned or a voter who is permitted to cast a ballot by mail.

absentee British  
/ ˌæbsənˈtiː /

noun

    1. a person who is absent

    2. ( as modifier )

      an absentee voter
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of absentee

First recorded in 1530–40; absent + -ee

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.

Plenty of voters ask for absentee ballots closer to Election Day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

In the 2024 election, nearly one in three Americans voted using mail-in or absentee ballots, accounting for some 48 million votes.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

As the history of absentee voting during the Civil War era shows, states have long permitted post–Election Day receipt of absentee ballots to safeguard voting rights and protect our foundational democratic principles.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is a notable absentee.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

People in prison vote either in their correctional facilities or by some version of absentee ballot in their town of previous residence.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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.