# absenteeism

/ˌæbsənˈtiɪzəm/ (US) · /ˌæbsəntˈiːɪzəm/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/absenteeism
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

the habit of staying away from a place, especially a school or a job, without a good reason. It is often used to describe when people are not there when they should be.

For teachers: the habitual absence from a place of work or study, especially without a valid excuse. Often used in administrative or legal contexts to describe patterns of non-attendance.

## Examples

- The school is trying to reduce student absenteeism.
- High levels of absenteeism in the office led to a temporary hiring freeze until the cause of the problem was identified.
- The management implemented a new policy to track absenteeism more accurately, hoping that the data would help identify underlying health or morale issues within the department.

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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.