noun · neutral
absence
/ˈæbsəns/AB·sence
the state of being away or not present; the lack of something
Examples
“The reason for his absence was illness.”
“The absence of clear guidelines led to confusion.”
“Students with frequent absences may fall behind.”
Band 8 sentence
“In the absence of clear policy, departments often adopt ad hoc solutions that create inconsistency.”
Collocations
- in the absence of
- absence from school/work
- cause of absence
Word family
Common mistakes
in absence of evidence→in the absence of evidence
absence for school→absence from school
Say it for a higher band
5lack→6no presence→7+absence
Synonyms
lack
nonattendance
Easily confused
absence vs lack
“The absence of evidence is not the same as a lack of effort.”
absence vs nonattendance
“Nonattendance at lectures was recorded, but the broader absence of interest concerned tutors.”
Related words
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In -ance / -ence
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