truant 1 of 2

Definition of truantnext
as in absent
not present at a mandatory time and place Her son was suspended after being truant from school a number of times.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

truant

2 of 2

verb

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 truant
Adjective
In Kentucky, a 2024 law requiring court referrals for truant students led to a surge of families pulling their children out of public schools to homeschool, rather than face legal consequences. Jon England, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025 Warren has been able to reduce its percentage of students labeled as habitually truant from 70% — the worst in Marion County — in the 2020-21 school year to 22% last year, according to state data. Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Verb
In Los Angeles, school superintendent Alberto Carvalho has gone door to door; in Alabama, signs stressing the importance of attendance are displayed on front lawns; in Philadelphia, local programs have been established that send out text messages to potentially truant youths' parents. Lauren Lantry, ABC News, 16 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for truant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for truant
Adjective
  • But the on-loan Manchester United forward is not Flick’s first choice on the wing when Raphinha, who is still out with a hamstring injury, and Yamal are absent.
    Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Orlando has consistently ranked among the top cities with the most severe shortages of affordable housing since the report began in 2019, only absent from the top 10 in 2021.
    Ryan von Weller, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • So the captain is not going to keep the ship idling while your late-arriving flight is taxiing to the terminal.
    Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Amenities and experiences Most of my afternoons were spent idling at the heated infinity pool, glass of African wine in hand, overlooking the crater.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The entire day felt dehumanizing, as if her nearly eight years with the company, her medical problems and her physical pain had been reduced to nothing more than malingering and scattered incidents of tardiness.
    Greg Jaffe, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2023
  • Goldstein, who did not return a message seeking comment, practices in Chicago and has lectured on the topic of malingering, according to a resume posted online.
    Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2023
Verb
  • On March 17, a video obtained by TMZ showed LaBeouf in a hotel lobby in Rome, Italy, wearing only his underwear and trying to bum a light for a cigarette.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Spring cleaning bumming you out?
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • One North Texas owner says she's already had to furlough a large portion of her staff.
    Erin Jones, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Because no one is coming to Dubai right now, the hotels and restaurants have started to furlough employees and send them home.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.
    Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
  • My request to ownership is don’t dawdle.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of setting up a spot on the sand, beachgoers typically pitch their chairs in the shallow clear blue water and laze the day away.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
  • But its proximity to the Arenal Volcano also means plenty of mineral-rich hot springs to laze around in.
    Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Lauren Weisberger published the novel in 2003 after serving as Anna Wintour's personal assistant at Vogue for a year, and the roman à clef fooled no one—least of all anyone who'd ever ridden the elevator at 4 Times Square and emerged spiritually altered.
    Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The Angels weren’t fooled by his cutter and slurve.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Truant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/truant. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on truant

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster