What does "absent" mean?
Something absent, especially absent people collectively; those who were or are not there.
Absent
/ˈæb.sn̩t/ adj, noun, prep, verb
adj, noun, prep, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something absent, especially absent people collectively; those who were or are not there.
- Grammar: absent is listed as adj, noun, prep, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: lacking, missing, absconded, absent-minded.
- Useful contrasts: attending, attentive, bodily presence.
- Usage evidence: You must not be absent from school.
How to use "absent"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "absent" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "absent" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "absent" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "absent" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "absent" is acting as adj, noun, prep, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "lacking" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "absent", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something absent, especially absent people collectively; those who were or are not there. with-definite-article
"The Applause he met with exceeds all belief of the Absent."
- 2 An absentee; a person who is not there. Scotland, obsolete
Verb
- 1 To keep (oneself) away. reflexive
"Most of the men are retired, jobless, or have otherwise temporarily absented themselves from the workplace."
- 2 stay away or leave wordnet
- 3 To keep (someone) away. archaic, transitive
"Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;"
- 4 Stay away; withdraw. intransitive, obsolete
"The iron rule of the plantation, always passionately and violently enforced in that neighborhood, makes flogging the penalty of failing to be in the field before sunrise in the morning, unless special permission be given to the absenting slave."
- 5 Leave. rare, transitive
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To omit. rare, transitive
"When we realize that the digitalisation of the image involves - by reducing and even absenting - the role of 'the physical', the 'sensuous' (by reducing and eventually absenting the indexical aspects of the image) […]"
Adjective
- 1 Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; existing but not present; (sometimes) missing. not-comparable
"Owing to his own illness and then his family's, Ramzi has often been absent from class this month. We will help him catch up with his studies."
- 2 Not existing. not-comparable
"The body part was rudimentary or absent in 1% of specimens."
- 3 Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied. comparable
"Tom was there, but he seemed absent and withdrawn. Normally he is quite present [= engaged] during a meeting."
Adjective
- 1 lost in thought; showing preoccupation wordnet
- 2 nonexistent wordnet
- 3 not being in a specified place wordnet
Preposition
- 1 In the absence of; without; except.
"Absent taxes modern governments cannot function."
Example
"You must not be absent from school."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "absent"?
Common synonyms include: lacking, missing, absconded, absent-minded, absentee, absenting.
How do you use "absent" in a sentence?
You must not be absent from school.
How do you pronounce "absent"?
Pronounced /ˈæb.sn̩t/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English absent, from Middle French absent, from Old French ausent, and their source, Latin absens, present participle of absum (“to be away from”), from ab (“away”) + sum (“to be”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English absenten, from Old French absenter, from Late Latin absentāre (“keep away, be away”).