absence
gb/ˈæbsəns/ us/ˈæbsəns/
A2
Anglais
~ 1700
Sens
0 sens
Nom
A2
state
1
state of being away
When someone or something is not in a place.
Schéma d’usage :
the absence of [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'absence' with 'holiday' or 'leave', but 'absence' only means not being present, without implying a reason.
Synonymes
nonattendance (More formal; often used for official or recorded situations.)
Antonymes
presence (Refers to the state of being in a place, the opposite of being absent.)
Collocations
in someone's absence
|absence from work
|long absence
|total absence
|unexpected absence
Thèmes
daily life
|work
|school
|daily_life
Exemples
- Her absence from the meeting was noticed by everyone.
- During his absence, the team struggled to meet deadlines.
- There was a noticeable absence of laughter in the room.
- The manager explained the rules in the absence of the director.
- His long absence raised concerns among his friends.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She was absent from school yesterday.
- There is no teacher in the room, so we notice her absence.
- I saw an empty chair, showing his absence.
- We talked about you in your absence.
- His absence made the game less fun.
Nom
B1
state
2
lack or shortage of something
When something that should be there is missing.
Schéma d’usage :
the absence of [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may use 'missing' instead of 'absence' in formal writing; 'absence' is preferred for abstract or formal contexts.
Synonymes
lack (More general and common; can be used in more contexts.)
Antonymes
presence (In this sense, means the existence or availability of something.)
Collocations
absence of evidence
|absence of light
|complete absence
|apparent absence
Thèmes
general
|science
|philosophy
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- In the absence of clear rules, people did what they wanted.
- The absence of sunlight affects plant growth.
- There was a surprising absence of traffic this morning.
- An absence of trust can ruin a relationship.
- The report noted an absence of reliable data.
Exemples pédagogiques
- There is an absence of water in the desert.
- The room was cold because of the absence of heat.
- We could not play because of the absence of a ball.
- The town is quiet because of the absence of cars.
- I could not see because of the absence of light.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
absence
API
GB/ˈæbsəns/
US/ˈæbsəns/
Syllabes et accentuation
ab - sence (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (ab)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: absence
- Plural: absence, absences
Famille de mots
Forms
absences
noun
Core family
absent
adjective A2
Related words
absently
adverb
absentee
noun B2
Advanced or less common
absenteeism
noun C1
Expressions
absence makes the heart grow fonder
1/ˈæbsəns mˈeɪks ðə hˈɑɹt ɡɹˈoʊ fˈɑndɚ/
idiom
being apart increases affection
When you are away from someone you love, you feel more love for them.
Exemples
- They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I believe it after my trip.
- Being away for months proved that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
in someone's absence
1/ˈɪn sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈæbsəns/
fixed phrase
when someone is not present
When a person is not there, something happens or is done.
Exemples
- In her absence, I will lead the meeting.
- Decisions were made in his absence.
in the absence of
1/ˈɪn ðə ˈæbsəns əv/
fixed phrase
when something is missing or unavailable
When something is not there or not available, another thing happens or is done instead.
Exemples
- In the absence of proof, we cannot convict him.
- In the absence of fresh milk, use powdered milk.