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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of absence
Consumer sentiment continued to decline this month, reaching a fresh record low in the absence of a deal to end the conflict.
—
Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
The golden calf famously enraged Moses, showing that the Israelites had turned away from God and were unfaithful in Moses’s absence.
—Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2026
In the absence of fridges, fermenting, sun-drying, and preserving in salt were the only ways to keep food from spoiling.
—Boutheina Ben Salem, Vogue, 8 May 2026
The absence of a crosswalk, together with insufficient lighting and the intersection's predictable pedestrian hazards, creates grounds for wrongful death lawsuits.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for absence
Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
The golden calf famously enraged Moses, showing that the Israelites had turned away from God and were unfaithful in Moses’s absence.
—Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2026
In the absence of fridges, fermenting, sun-drying, and preserving in salt were the only ways to keep food from spoiling.
—Boutheina Ben Salem, Vogue, 8 May 2026
The absence of a crosswalk, together with insufficient lighting and the intersection's predictable pedestrian hazards, creates grounds for wrongful death lawsuits.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for absence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absence
Noun
-
Staff and managers complained about the lack of specifics, as did legal-services providers and advocacy groups.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Often, everyone is trying their best but finding that there are simply too many competing and seemingly conflicting needs.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2026
-
Later, the Moon squares the Sun and could expose tension between private needs and outside expectations.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Absence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absence. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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