in the absence of sb/sth
prep. phr..prep. phr.. when someone or something is not there or is not available.
prep. phr.. a formal prepositional phrase indicating the lack, non-existence, or non-attendance of a person or thing in a specific context.
In the absence of a better plan, we will wait here.
In the absence of the manager, the assistant takes over all daily responsibilities.
In the absence of concrete evidence, the committee was forced to dismiss the allegations against the director.
usually followed by a noun or noun phrase; formal in register.
this phrase is often used to explain why a secondary choice was made or why a situation changed; it is more formal than saying 'because there is no...'.
in absence of the datain the absence of the datathe definite article 'the' is required before 'absence' in this fixed phrase.