attendance
Americannoun
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the act of attending.
-
the persons or number of persons present.
an attendance of more than 300 veterans.
idioms
noun
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the act or state of attending
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the number of persons present
an attendance of 5000 at the festival
-
obsolete attendants collectively; retinue
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of attendance
1325–75; Middle English < Anglo-French, Middle French. See attend, -ance
Explanation
Attendance has to do with being present at something, like work or school. If you never miss a day, you have perfect attendance. The concept of attendance has to do with showing up: if you show up for school, then your attendance is not in question. When people miss school or work, they usually need a note from a doctor, explaining why they weren't in attendance. We can also say "The attendance was 100" if 100 people showed up to a meeting. If only three people out of 100 showed up though, you'd say, "Wow. Attendance was terrible."
Vocabulary lists containing attendance
A Graduation Lexicon
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List 1
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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.
The five-save match came in a 4-3 win over Louisville City at Miami FC's Pitbull Stadium, a 20,000-capacity venue which had just 713 fans in attendance that evening.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
In early June, hundreds of fans dressed to the nines were in attendance at a rock star’s sold-out show at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
“Our plan is to go to Switzerland, I don’t know exactly when,” he said Thursday morning from the White House podium, noting the complexities for the Iranians’ attendance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
“We view this as a healthier and more sustainable recovery dynamic, supporting attendance consistency,” he added.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026
I had been warned about my attendance during my junior year, but my records hadn’t been turned over to a city agency at that time.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
