conspicuous by its absence

Idioms  

1. Also, conspicuous by one's absence. Glaringly obvious by the fact of not being there. For example, One agenda item concerning publicity is conspicuous by its absence, or The bride's father was conspicuous by his absence. The idea is ancient; it was expressed by the Roman writer Tacitus, concerning the absence of Junia's brother and husband at her funeral procession. [Mid-1800s]

---

Example Sentences

China, as so often at G7 meetings, will be conspicuous by its absence.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

With his trademark long-potting ability conspicuous by its absence, Wu repeatedly left Murphy opportunities to capitalise.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

While the Russian delegation will be conspicuous by its absence, organisers hailed a record turnout in terms of the number and diversity of participants, with expectations of a "high-level" Chinese presence.

From Reuters • Jan. 10, 2023

The Federal Reserve has tried to smooth the economic cycle, but the “great moderation,” a term popularized in 2004 by Ben S. Bernanke, the former Fed chairman, is conspicuous by its absence.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2022

Original Gaelic prose is conspicuous by its absence.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various