# absence

/ˈæbsəns/ (US) · /ˈæbsəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/absence
Updated: 2026-05-01

## Senses

### 1. being away

noun · CEFR B1

the state of not being in a place where you are usually found.

For teachers: the state of being away from a place or person. Uncountable in its abstract sense but often used with possessives.

- His absence from the meeting was noticed by everyone in the office.
- The manager requested a formal explanation for his repeated absence from mandatory safety briefings over the last quarter.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'from'.

### 2. time spent away

noun · CEFR B1

a period of time when someone is not there.

For teachers: the specific duration or instance of being away. Countable when referring to specific occasions.

- After a long absence of five years, she finally returned to her hometown.
- During his two-week absence, the deputy director assumed all responsibilities for the department's daily operations.

### 3. a lack of something

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the fact that something does not exist or is not present.

For teachers: the non-existence or lack of a specific component, quality, or entity.

- The total absence of light in the cave made it impossible to see.
- The researchers were surprised by the complete absence of any chemical residue in the soil samples collected from the site.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'in the absence of'.

### 4. medical seizure

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a short time when someone loses consciousness or stops reacting, often caused by epilepsy.

For teachers: a brief loss or disruption of consciousness with a sudden onset, typically associated with petit mal epilepsy.

- The child had a brief absence where he stared into space for a few seconds.
- The patient's history of absence seizures required a specialized neurological consultation to adjust her medication levels.

Teaching tip: In a medical context, this is often called an 'absence seizure' rather than just 'an absence'.

## Examples

- His absence from the meeting was noticed by everyone.
- The manager requested a doctor's note to explain her three-day absence from the office.
- In the absence of any concrete evidence to the contrary, the committee decided to proceed with the original proposal despite the vocal objections of the minority shareholders.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.