absent

1 of 3

adjective

ab·​sent ˈab-sənt How to pronounce absent (audio)
1
: not present at a usual or expected place : missing
was absent from class today
sharing memories of absent friends
She was conspicuously absent [=her absence was very noticeable] at the meeting.
2
: not existing : lacking
… danger in a situation where power is absentM. H. Trytten
a gene that occurs in mammals but is absent in birds
3
: showing a lack of attention to what is happening or being said : not attentive
had an absent look on her face
an absent reply
absently adverb
He replied absently to her question.

absent

2 of 3

verb

ab·​sent ab-ˈsent How to pronounce absent (audio)
ˈab-ˌsent
absented; absenting; absents

transitive verb

: to keep (oneself) away
He absented himself from the meeting.

absent

3 of 3

preposition

ab·​sent ˈab-sənt How to pronounce absent (audio)
US, formal
: in the absence of (something) : without
Absent any objections, the plan will proceed.
Choose the Right Synonym for absent

abstracted, preoccupied, absent, absent-minded, distracted mean inattentive to what claims or demands consideration.

abstracted implies absorption of the mind in something other than one's surroundings, and often suggests reflection on weighty matters.

walking about with an abstracted air

preoccupied often implies having one's attention so taken up by thoughts as to neglect others.

too preoccupied with her debts to enjoy the meal

absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

absent-minded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absent-minded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

Examples of absent in a Sentence

Adjective an absent father who is not home most of the time a gene that occurs in mammals but that is absent in birds a landscape in which vegetation is almost entirely absent He made an absent reply to her question as he continued to watch the TV. Preposition Absent any objections, the plan will proceed. Absent such an agreement we can go no further.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Last February, Kotb was absent from Today for two weeks when Hope experienced a medical crisis that landed her in the intensive care unit (ICU) for several days and in the hospital for more than a week. Charlotte Triggs, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 While these whales are abundant in other oceans, it is widely known among scientists that these creatures have been simply absent from Atlantic waters. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Former Dodgers star Steve Garvey, a Republican who has held few public events and not paid for a single television ad, was absent from the fray throughout the weekend. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Consequently, appeals to ‘Web3’ and ‘the metaverse’ were absent from this February’s New York Fashion Week. Jackie Berardo, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Williams was also absent from her show in 2021 and 2022 because of health reasons, Variety reported. Chloe Melas, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 However, Sala said that younger women—the group most likely to experience long COVID—is largely absent from the VA data and ought to be a focus of future research. Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 27 Feb. 2024 The show relied on a rotating group of hosts for the entire final season, as Williams was absent from her eponymous series while dealing with health issues, which were then described as a case of COVID-19 and ongoing complications from Graves’ disease, an immune disorder. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2024 However, the Financial Times observes that the word reform is absent from Kishida’s philosophy of corporate governance. Nick Sargen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
Ultimately, there is only so much Samsung can do absent its own OS. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 But absent a cessation of hostilities, the war could convulse the region, bringing in anti-Israel factions based in Lebanon and Syria, and spawning an unprecedented flow of Palestinian refugees into Egypt. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2023 The big question here is whether Microsoft has control over OpenAI, absent an official acquisition. Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2023 And absent a war with Iran or a resurgence of ISIS, this trend will continue. Steven Simon and Adam Weinstein, Foreign Affairs, 27 Sep. 2023 His father then absented himself from the boy’s life, leaving him nothing upon his death a few years later, when Pratt was thirteen. Hazlitt, 6 Sep. 2023 Investors are demanding historically high yields for US Treasury notes that mature in July, which by some estimates is when the United States will default on its debt, absent any legislative action. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 20 Apr. 2023 The case reinforced a constitutional doctrine that the press, absent a national emergency, should not be subject to prepublication censorship. Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 16 June 2023 These regulatory actions—absent any law from Congress or public debate—have already had a chilling effect across the industry. Natalie Smolenski, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2023
Preposition
Under no circumstances should Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed absent a full and complete investigation. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Fox News, 27 Sep. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'absent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin absent-, absens, present participle of abesse "to be away, be absent," from ab- ab- + -sens, present participle (attested only with prefixes) of esse "to be" — more at is entry 1

Verb

Middle English absenten, borrowed from Anglo-French absenter, borrowed from Late Latin absentāre, verbal derivative of Latin absent-, absens absent entry 1

Preposition

derivative of absent entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Preposition

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of absent was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near absent

Cite this Entry

“Absent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absent. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

absent

1 of 2 adjective
ab·​sent ˈab-sənt How to pronounce absent (audio)
1
: not present or attending : missing
2
: not existing
enthusiasm was absent
3
: lost in thought : preoccupied
absently adverb

absent

2 of 2 verb
ab·​sent ab-ˈsent How to pronounce absent (audio)
: to keep (oneself) away

More from Merriam-Webster on absent

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