absent 1 of 2

1
as in missing
not at a certain place three students were absent because of the flu

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

absent

2 of 2

preposition

as in without
not having absent a significant source of investment funds, the fledgling company continues to struggle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
That means principals, teachers and guidance counselors are faced with the challenge of making sure students who were absent take a make-up test — and doing it three times a year instead of once. Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025 And for several seemingly interminable minutes, POTUS is absent, his video screen in the Situation Room a blank square. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Sep. 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
Adjective
  • Milwaukee police are seeking the public's help in locating a critically missing 11-year-old girl.
    Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Like the other mishap, McRae kicked her foot, and her white shoe went missing.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • That is not to say that his coverage abilities are in any way lacking, but the Jaguars might see more value in Hunter catching passes to start.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • It can be used to crudely express boredom, annoyance or to signal that something is self-indulgent or lacking purpose.
    Sofi Zeman August 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • Jihan peers closer at these images, now sensing in some of them that her father seems preoccupied, as if already aware of the tragic fate that would befall him.
    Leila Latif, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Preposition
  • When isolated statistics are presented without context in the media, there is every reason to conclude that data does not offer anything valuable to the conversation.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Most people get a sufficient amount of this key vitamin through their diets alone—biotin can be found in beef liver and eggs, and for those without a biotin deficiency, biotin is unlikely to help.
    Brianna Peters, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Citi holds a slightly out-of-consensus view that the FOMC will cut at each of its next five meetings as officials look through the current inflation trends and focus more on weakness in the labor market.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
  • In addition, the therapist might recommend ways to curtail the AI from pursuing the out-of-sorts topics.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Lincoln Nautilus is an underappreciated contender in the luxury midsize SUV market, part of a brand that seems tired, itself part of an automaker that seems perpetually distracted, itself part of an automotive ecosystem that is awash in luxury midsize SUVs from very, very tough competitors.
    Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
  • In 1980, when Iraq’s president, Saddam Hussein, seized oil fields on the Iranian border, under the assumption that Iran was too distracted to object, Iran saw an opportunity to pivot to fighting external enemies.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Absent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absent. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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