absent

¹ab·sent

adjective \ˈab-sənt\

Definition of ABSENT

1

: not present or attending : missing

2

: not existing : lacking <danger in a situation where power is absent — M. H. Trytten>

3

: lost in thought : not attentive

— ab·sent·ly adverb

Examples of ABSENT

1. an absent father who is not home most of the time
2. a gene that occurs in mammals but that is absent in birds
3. a landscape in which vegetation is almost entirely absent
4. He made an absent reply to her question as he continued to watch the TV.

Origin of ABSENT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin absent-, absens, present participle of abesse to be absent, from ab- + esse to be — more at is

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ABSENT

Synonyms

away, missing, out

Antonyms

here, in, present

Related Words

AWOL, truant; departed, gone, retired; abroad, vacationing

Near Antonyms

accompanying, attending, participating

See Synonym Discussion at abstracted

²ab·sent

transitive verb \ab-ˈsent, ˈab-ˌ\

Definition of ABSENT

: to keep (oneself) away

First Known Use of ABSENT

15th century

Rhymes with ABSENT

accent, Advent, anent, ascent, assent, augment, besprent, cement, comment, consent, content, convent, descent, detent, dissent, docent, event, extent, ferment, foment, fragment, frequent, hell-bent, indent, intent, invent, lament, loment, low-rent, mordent, outspent, percent, pigment, portent, present, prevent, pup tent, quitrent, rack-rent, relent, repent, resent, segment, Shymkent, Tashkent, torment, well-meant, wisent

³ab·sent

preposition \ˈab-sənt\

Definition of ABSENT

: in the absence of : without

Examples of ABSENT

1. Absent any objections, the plan will proceed.
2. Absent such an agreement we can go no further.

First Known Use of ABSENT

1944

Related to ABSENT

Synonyms

without, minus, sans, wanting