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
Rays, on the other hand, were absent from nearly half of the reefs surveyed, likely due to the specific types of habitat studied. —Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 Jones has been absent from the Today since mid-December. —EW.com, 23 May 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. preoccupied
  3. without
  4. out
  5. distracted
Adjective
  • Divers were searching New York City’s East River under the Roosevelt Island Bridge Friday for a missing 15-year-old girl who went into the water but never resurfaced.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
  • But more than confidence and an impressive stat line, Neville has something else that had gone missing in Fayetteville: Joy.
    — Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Definition of missing
Adjective
  • The United States had withdrawn from the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council; the State Department seemed more preoccupied with deportations than with diplomacy.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Early in this episode, Dina mentions to a preoccupied Joel that one of the community’s underground pipes — connected to the outside — has been rendered useless by encroaching roots.
    — Noel Murray, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of preoccupied
Preposition
  • Meghan posted photos of their food, which included corn dogs and pickle slices, but, of course, no birthday can be complete without a birthday cake.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • Two months into the season, Hoerner is putting up some of the best numbers of his career, even without slugging a home run.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
Definition of without
Adjective
  • But the South Dakota hospital refused to submit the bill to his out-of-state Medicaid plan, instead sending it to Wirt and eventually threatening to send the debt to a collection agency.
    — Arielle Zionts, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
  • After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the out the door and in your garage total purchase price came to: $145,890.
    — Tony Leopardo, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
Definition of out
Adjective
  • While Walker is so distracted, a high-speed chase involving the other four cops in on his dirty-money scheme is unfolding across town.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Eventually, doctors crafted a diagnosis that could explain distracted and excitable personalities, and a consensus formed about how to treat them.
    — Adam B. Kushner, New York Times, 13 Apr. 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 10 Jun. 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'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Some Data About 'Datum'

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
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?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All