Someone's absence from a place is the fact that they are not there.
...a bundle of letters which had arrived for me in my absence.
Eleanor would later blame her mother-in-law for her husband's frequent absences.
Synonyms: time off, leave, break, vacation More Synonyms of absence
2. singular noun
The absence of something from a place is the fact that it is not there or does not exist.
The presence or absence of clouds can have an important impact on heat transfer. [+ of]
In the absence of a will the courts decide who the guardian is. [+ of]
Synonyms: lack, defect, deficiency, default More Synonyms of absence
3. See also leave of absence
4. conspicuous by one's absence
absence in British English
(ˈæbsəns)
noun
1.
the state of being away
2.
the time during which a person or thing is away
3.
the fact of being without something; lack
Word origin
C14: via Old French from Latin absentia, from absēns a being away
absence in American English
(ˈæbsəns)
noun
1.
the condition of being absent, or away
2.
the time of being away
3.
the fact of being without; lack
in the absence of evidence
4.
inattentiveness
Word origin
ME < OFr < L absentia: see absent
COBUILD Collocations
absence
notable absence
note the absence of
prolonged absence
sickness absence
Examples of 'absence' in a sentence
absence
There is also the complete absence of inheritance tax on agricultural land and on certain business assets.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
His continuing absence goes a long way towards answering the first question.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One of the most striking findings is the complete absence of any buyers' remorse.
The Sun (2016)
The very absence of evidence is proof, in the minds of many, that it must exist.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is just an absence of information.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The first was the total absence of spin.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Yet there is a complete absence of political will to solve it.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Then consider how long the absence is likely to last.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Of course the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They also blame the absence of role models for disadvantaged groups.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The curious thing is the absence itself.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Time and absence had done its work on both the young people.
Louisa May Alcott Little Women (1869)
Their absence from their home town has not gone unnoticed.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
She concedes that the absence of hard information limited the scope of her study.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The almost total absence of beauty calls into serious question the seriousness of the award itself.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
What links these stories is a complete absence of common sense.
The Sun (2012)
Guilt is also influenced by the presence or absence of other people.
Claudia Hammond EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER: A Journey Through the Science of Feelings (2005)
It was in this long absence that he wrote her some of his most tender love letters.
Katie Hickman COURTESANS (2003)
In the absence of hard fact, rumours began to scuttle around.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There's an absence of direct evidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In the absence of facts, families have been left struggling with the burden of grief.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They were so upset by her absence that her husband had to tell them she had gone off to Europe to study.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Mrs. Gibson wrote twice during her week's absence to her husband.
Elizabeth Gaskell Wives and Daughters (1864)
It was his 36th goal for his country as he completed his first 90 minutes of the year following a lengthy injury absence.
The Sun (2006)
Quotations
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Isle of Beauty, Fare thee well!Thomas Haynes BaylyIsle of Beauty
Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it inflames the greatComte de Bussy-RabutinHistoire amoureuse des Gaules
That out of sight is out of mind Is true of most we leave behindArthur Hugh CloughThat Out of Sight
Among the defects of the Bill, which were numerous, one provision was conspicuous by its presence and another by its absenceLord John RussellSpeech to his constituents, 1859
In other languages
absence
British English: absence /ˈæbsəns/ NOUN
The absence of someone or something is the fact that they are not there.
The letters had arrived in my absence.
American English: absence
Arabic: غِيَاب
Brazilian Portuguese: ausência
Chinese: 缺席
Croatian: odsutnost
Czech: nepřítomnost
Danish: fravær
Dutch: afwezigheid
European Spanish: ausencia
Finnish: poissaolo
French: absence
German: Abwesenheit
Greek: απουσία
Italian: assenza
Japanese: 不在
Korean: 부재
Norwegian: fravær
Polish: nieobecność
European Portuguese: ausência
Romanian: absență
Russian: отсутствие
Latin American Spanish: ausencia
Swedish: frånvaro
Thai: การขาด ช่วงเวลาที่ไม่อยู่
Turkish: yokluk devam
Ukrainian: відсутність
Vietnamese: sự vắng mặt
All related terms of 'absence'
absence seizure
petit mal
notable absence
Someone's absence from a place is the fact that they are not there.
prolonged absence
Someone's absence from a place is the fact that they are not there.
sickness absence
Someone's absence from a place is the fact that they are not there.
absence of mind
distraction ; forgetfulness
leave of absence
If you have leave of absence you have permission to be away from work for a certain period.
note the absence of
The absence of something from a place is the fact that it is not there or does not exist.
conspicuous by one's absence
If you say that someone or something is conspicuous by their absence , you are drawing attention to the fact that they are not in a place or situation where you think they should be.
Chinese translation of 'absence'
absence
(ˈæbsəns)
n
(c/u)[of person]缺席 (quēxí) (次, cì)
(s)[of thing]缺乏 (quēfá)
in sb's absence在某人不在场(場)时(時) (zài mǒurén bù zàichǎng shí)
in the absence of sth在缺乏某物的情况(況)下 (zài quēfá mǒuwù de qíngkuàng xià)
1 (noun)
Definition
the time during which a person or thing is away
I see you've been busy in my absence.
Synonyms
time off
leave
Why don't you take a few days' leave?
break
They are currently taking a short break in Spain.
vacation
During the vacation I visited Costa Rica.
recess
Parliament returns to work today after its summer recess.
truancy
Schools need to reduce levels of truancy.
absenteeism
nonappearance
nonattendance
2 (noun)
Definition
the fact of being without something
In the absence of a will, the courts decide who the guardian is.
Synonyms
lack
Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
defect
The report pointed out the defects in the present system.
deficiency
They did tests for signs of vitamin deficiency.
default
The other team failed to turn up so we won by default.
deprivation
Unemployment can sometimes cause social deprivation.
omission
scarcity
an ever-increasing scarcity of water
want
The men were daily becoming weaker for want of rest.
need
shortage
There's no shortage of ideas.
dearth
a dearth of resources
privation (formal)
They endured years of privation during the war.
unavailability
nonexistence
Quotations
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Isle of Beauty, Fare thee well! [Thomas Haynes Bayly – Isle of Beauty]Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it inflames the great [Comte de Bussy-Rabutin – Histoire amoureuse des Gaules]That out of sight is out of mind Is true of most we leave behind [Arthur Hugh Clough – That Out of Sight]Among the defects of the Bill, which were numerous, one provision was conspicuous by its presence and another by its absence [Lord John Russell – Speech to his constituents, 1859]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of break
Definition
a (short) holiday
They are currently taking a short break in Spain.
Synonyms
holiday,
leave,
vacation,
time off,
recess,
awayday,
schoolie (Australian),
accumulated day off or ADO (Australian)
in the sense of dearth
Definition
an inadequate amount
a dearth of resources
Synonyms
lack,
want,
need,
absence,
poverty,
shortage,
deficiency,
famine,
inadequacy,
scarcity,
paucity (formal),
insufficiency,
sparsity,
scantiness,
exiguousness
in the sense of default
Definition
a failure to do something, esp. to meet a financial obligation or to appear in court
The other team failed to turn up so we won by default.