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
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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.
But the low attendance came as a surprise to Dave & Buster’s—a rave the summer prior had sold out, with a 2,000-person-strong waitlist.
From Slate • Jun. 25, 2026
At a recent virtual meeting of the support group, the men in attendance agreed.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
The government says school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
Matches so far are averaging roughly 65,500 fans per match, meaning overall attendance could exceed 6.5 million.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
Over the six months of the fair an average of twelve thousand people would attend each of Cody’s 318 performances, for a total attendance of nearly four million.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
