absentee
Americannoun
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a person who is absent, especially from work or school.
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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.
noun
Etymology
Origin of absentee
Explanation
An absentee is someone who doesn't show up when she's supposed to. A high school student who's an absentee too often may end up failing some classes. If the star player of your basketball team doesn't show up for the big game, she's an absentee. Likewise, if you skip work to go to the beach on a beautiful day, your boss will consider you an absentee. If you fill out an absentee ballot before an election, you're using a special form for voters who won't be physically present at the polls. The Latin root is absentem, "be away from."
Vocabulary lists containing absentee
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 1–November 7, 2025
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Government by the People, Sections 4–7
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 25–May 31, 2025
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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.
If early voting is fine, and if the counting process can go on for days after the polls close, then why not the arrival of absentee ballots that were marked and mailed on time?
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 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
One absentee, however, will be Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who has been ruled out with a "kink in his back", according to the Norwegian ski federation.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
The successful man with his traditional ranch, at least in my experience, is no absentee owner.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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.
