Synonyms of absence

absence

noun

ˈab-sən(t)s 

1

as in lack

a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful

the absence of volunteers to be troop leaders is putting the scouting program in real jeopardy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lack
• need
• needfulness
• shortage
• deficiency
• paucity
• inadequacy
• scarcity
• insufficiency
• deficit
• defect
• requirement
• poverty
• necessity
• dearth
• want
• minus
• deprivation
• meagerness
• scantiness
• requisite
• privation
• scarceness
• essential
• demand
• skimpiness
• famishment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequacy
• supply
• sufficiency
• stock
• excess
• fund
• pool
• surplus
• enough
• plenty
• fill
• overabundance
• surfeit
• stockpile
• oversupply
• hoard

2

as in shortage

the fact or state of being absent

in the absence of ferry service to the island, the ecotourists had to charter a plane

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lack
• shortage
• dearth
• loss
• deficiency
• omission
• paucity
• scarcity
• inadequacy
• necessity
• insufficiency
• deprivation
• deficit
• failure
• poverty
• famine
• want
• meagerness
• scantiness
• inadequateness
• scarceness
• privation
• need
• vacuum
• skimpiness
• void
• undersupply
• scantness
• emptiness
• needfulness
• blankness
• vacuity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• presence
• abundance
• wealth
• amplitude
• plenty
• adequacy
• excess
• plenitude
• sufficiency
• surplus
• bounty
• flood
• quantity
• supply
• volume
• mass
• lot
• plentitude
• loads
• oversupply
• deluge
• deal
• mountain
• plentifulness
• pile
• stock
• overabundance
• plenteousness
• surfeit
• stack
• fund
• pot
• raft
• heap
• bushel
• superabundance
• pool
• reams
• peck
• wad
• stockpile
• cache
• much
• hoard
• stash
• gobs
• scads
• oodles

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of absence

Valkyries forward Gabby Williams denied that Golden State’s absence was a protest. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Senior backup quarterback Max Cutforth entered the game in Madsen’s absence and led the Broncos on a miraculous, back-and-forth comeback. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 Nov. 2026

In his absence Ravana, disguised as a religious mendicant, approaches Sita and abducts her. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

And sometimes, the explicit absence of a contradictory signal can provide as much clarity as a matching attribute. — Filip Popovic, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026