absence
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the state of not being in a place where you are usually found.
the state of being away from a place or person. Uncountable in its abstract sense but often used with possessives.
Simple“His absence from the meeting was noticed by everyone in the office.”
In context“The manager requested a formal explanation for his repeated absence from mandatory safety briefings over the last quarter.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'from'.
Synonymsawaynessnon attendanceAntonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
a period of time when someone is not there.
the specific duration or instance of being away. Countable when referring to specific occasions.
Simple“After a long absence of five years, she finally returned to her hometown.”
In context“During his two-week absence, the deputy director assumed all responsibilities for the department's daily operations.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the fact that something does not exist or is not present.
the non-existence or lack of a specific component, quality, or entity.
Simple“The total absence of light in the cave made it impossible to see.”
In context“The researchers were surprised by the complete absence of any chemical residue in the soil samples collected from the site.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'in the absence of'.
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
a short time when someone loses consciousness or stops reacting, often caused by epilepsy.
a brief loss or disruption of consciousness with a sudden onset, typically associated with petit mal epilepsy.
Simple“The child had a brief absence where he stared into space for a few seconds.”
In context“The patient's history of absence seizures required a specialized neurological consultation to adjust her medication levels.”
Teacher's tipIn a medical context, this is often called an 'absence seizure' rather than just 'an absence'.
Usage absence of · virtual absence
“The Hogsmill release last year marked the return of the rodent to the county after an absence of more than 20 years.”
“People saw the absence of a child, she says, but not the pain behind it.”
The word entered Middle English from Old French absence or ausence. It is derived from the Latin absentia, which is the noun form of absēns, the present active participle of the verb absum.
The construction of absum relies on the preposition ab, meaning from or away from, and sum, the verb to be. This Latin root descends from the Proto-Italic ap and ezom. The term is, quite literally, the state of being elsewhere.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.