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.
It was a small event, with only 65 people in attendance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
After the memorial service, El-Sayed lingered for a bit to shake the hands of people in attendance.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
In 2025, the Bruins recorded their worst home attendance at the Rose Bowl since the team moved there in 1982, averaging 37,282 spectators per game — far below the stadium’s capacity of 92,542.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
It added that a small number of officers were treated at the scene for injuries but no-one in attendance was seriously injured.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
In Jackson Park Burnham faced repeated interruptions stemming from his de facto role as ambassador to the outside world, charged with cultivating goodwill and future attendance.
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.
