absence noun (NOT BEING PRESENT)
B2 [ U or C ] the fact of not being where you are usually expected to be:
More examples
- The smell of cigarette smoke confirmed what he had suspected: there had been a party in his absence.
- I'm deputizing for the director during his absence.
- Unbeknown to me, he'd gone and rented out the apartment in my absence.
- Can you account for your absence last Friday?
- A new manager was appointed during/in her absence.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
absence noun (NOT EXISTING)
B2 [ U ] the fact of not existing:
In the absence of (= because there were not) more suitable candidates, we decided to offer the job to Mr Conway.
More examples
- In the absence of anything better the settee would serve as a bed for a couple of nights.
- In our search for evidence, we were stymied by the absence of any recent documents.
- They complained about the absence of vegetarian food on the menu.
- In the absence of a strong government, the country soon fell into chaos.
- In the absence of a television, the children were forced to find other things to keep them amused.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
