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View synonyms for

absence

[ ab-suhns ]

noun

  1. state of being away or not being present:

    I acted as supervisor in his absence. Your absence was noted on the records.

    Antonyms:

  2. period of being away:

    an absence of several weeks.

  3. failure to attend or appear when expected.
  4. lack; deficiency:

    the absence of proof.

  5. inattentiveness; preoccupation; absent-mindedness:

    absence of mind.



absence

/ ˈæəԲ /

noun

  1. the state of being away
  2. the time during which a person or thing is away
  3. the fact of being without something; lack
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of absence1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin absentia; absent, -ia
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Word History and Origins

Origin of absence1

C14: via Old French from Latin absentia, from ŧԲ a being away
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Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with absence , also see conspicuous by its absence .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In the absence of a cause, some homeowners have sued the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, claiming the utility failed to properly prepare for the wildfire and respond when it broke out.

From

ever the business, there is no doubt the American consumer will feel the absence, or potentially higher prices, of Chinese goods.

From

The 42-year-old said the absence of information led him to looking at the sky to see if planes were still flying.

From

He was what she embraced in his absence as ether, as resonance.

From

"In the absence of certainty, it would certainly be advisable for M&S customers, particularly those who may have reused their M&S account credentials on other web services, to begin changing those passwords elsewhere."

From

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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.

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abseilabsence makes the heart grow fonder