English · Word Candidate

absent

/ˈæb.sn̩t/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: absenter · absentest · absents · absenting

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; existing but not present; (sometimes) missing.

Adjective

Owing to his own illness and then his family's, Ramzi has often been absent from class this month. We will help him catch up with his studies.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Not existing.

Adjective

The body part was rudimentary or absent in 1% of specimens.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Something absent, especially absent people collectively; those who were or are not there.

Noun

The Applause he met with exceeds all belief of the Absent.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

In the absence of; without; except.

Preposition

Absent taxes modern governments cannot function.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “absent” mean?

Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; existing but not present; (sometimes) missing.

Is “absent” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.