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 force said 1,700 people were in attendance and an operation was put in place to support public safety and minimise disruption.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The letter went out to shareholders just after the annual Brown-Forman shareholder meeting, held Thursday in its hometown of Louisville, Ky. Nonfamily shareholders and Brown family members alike were in attendance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Zach Witkoff, the son who would later become instrumental in Trump’s presidential wealth-building, was married at Mar-a-Lago in 2022, with the Trumps in attendance.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
He tamped down concerns over a looming multibillion-dollar deficit, immigration raids that have depressed attendance and enrollment and the sudden change in leadership that left him in charge of the nation’s second-largest school system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
She put it on top of her desk and picked up the Scantron attendance sheet for the day.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
