absent 1 of 2

adjective

ˈab-sənt How to pronounce absent (audio)
Definition of absentnext
1
as in missing
not at a certain place three students were absent because of the flu

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lacking
not present or in evidence the city's usual stir of activity was conspicuously absent due to the report of an escaped lion from the zoo

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in preoccupied
lost in thought and unaware of one's surroundings or actions seemed absent when I told him you were coming because he nodded but didn't say anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

absent

2 of 2

preposition

ˈab-sənt How to pronounce absent (audio)
as in without
not having absent a significant source of investment funds, the fledgling company continues to struggle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word absent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of absent are absentminded, abstracted, distracted, and preoccupied. While all these words mean "inattentive to what claims or demands consideration," absent stresses inability to fix the mind on present concerns due more to mental wandering than to concentration on other matters.

an absent stare

When might absentminded be a better fit than absent?

Although the words absentminded and absent have much in common, absentminded implies that the mind is fixed elsewhere and often refers to a habit of abstractedness.

so absentminded, he's been known to wear mismatched shoes

When can abstracted be used instead of absent?

The words abstracted and absent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When would distracted be a good substitute for absent?

In some situations, the words distracted and absent are roughly equivalent. However, distracted may suggest an inability to concentrate caused by worry, sorrow, or anxiety.

was too distracted by grief to continue working

When is preoccupied a more appropriate choice than absent?

While in some cases nearly identical to absent, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of absent
Adjective
One player absent from the series was catcher Will Smith, who suffered a hairline fracture in his throwing hand in early September. —Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 In an exclusive interview with Melugin, Cammila Wamsley, director of Portland’s ICE office, previously said the facility has faced violence for more than 100 consecutive nights, with Portland police largely absent under guidance from the mayor and city council. —Greg Norman , Bill Melugin, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Preposition
Under no circumstances should Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed absent a full and complete investigation. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Fox News, 27 Sep. 2018 See All Example Sentences for absent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absent
  1. missing
  2. lacking
  3. preoccupied
  4. without
  5. out
  6. distracted
Adjective
  • DiCaprio is an ex-revolutionary stoner seeking his missing daughter, del Toro is a helpful karate sensei, and my colleague Bryan Alexander talked with them about their scenes together, including one where del Toro drove with extreme caution with DiCaprio having climbed out an open window.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
  • There were multiple missing and damaged ceiling tiles in the liquor and office storage room, another repeat violation.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Definition of missing
Adjective
  • Art that truly centres girlhood, meanwhile, had too often been dismissed as sentimental or lacking intellectual rigor.
    — Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The film’s overall low-key tenor downplays both moral judgment and conspicuous style, though neither are entirely lacking.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
Definition of lacking
Adjective
  • Science fiction is still preoccupied with real world fears about the pitfalls and potential dangers of AI.
    — Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • What's popular is appearing preoccupied, too busy scrolling on one's phone to look around—and too caught up with one's many friends to make any new ones at a mall.
    — Annabelle Canela, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
Definition of preoccupied
Preposition
  • Its propulsion system uses non-toxic materials, which allows soldiers to handle it safely without protective gear immediately after touchdown.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The research, conducted without her knowledge, was commissioned by a potential political rival, according to the person who carried out the opposition research, who asked for anonymity because the poll was a private survey.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Definition of without
Adjective
  • Igbinosun could’ve easily gotten overaggressive and expected a quick out route from Boston, who already had inside leverage from coming in motion.
    — Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Callie, the hottest person at Seattle Grace, went through so much turmoil and humiliation in her relationships prior to that, including, but not limited to, being cheated on by her husband and being dumped by a newly out lesbian who couldn’t handle her being bisexual.
    — James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
Definition of out
Adjective
  • But Jon seemed distracted, and not altogether himself, Rachel tells Rolling Stone.
    — Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
  • However, people with ASD are more likely to have trouble shifting their focus rather than being easily distracted and hyperactive in general.
    — Laura Dorwart, Health, 29 Sep. 2025
Definition of distracted

Phrases Containing absent

Browse Nearby Words

absence
absent
absented oneself
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Absent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absent. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on absent

Nglish: Translation of absent for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'autumn' or 'fall'?

Using Bullet Points ( • )

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

A Guide to Using Semicolons
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

8 Real (and Perceived) Redundant Words

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

8 Real (and Perceived) Redundant Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
vintage ad illustration of a smiling woman
Brand Name Vocabulary Quiz You’re gonna need some moxie to ace this quiz
See All