absence

noun

1 fact of not being present

ADJECTIVE

▪ extended, lengthy, long, prolonged

▪ brief, temporary

▪ frequent

▪ excused (AmE)

▪ unauthorized, unexplained

… OF ABSENCE

▪ period

▪

You will not be paid for the full period of absence.

VERB + ABSENCE

▪ have

▪

Your son has had too many absences from school.

▪ notice

▪

Nobody had noticed her absence.

▪ explain

PREPOSITION

▪ during sb's absence, in sb's absence (= while sb is not there)

▪

My father did all the cooking in my mother's absence.

▪ absence from

▪

absence from work

PHRASES

▪ conspicuous by your absence, notable by your absence (esp. BrE)

▪

When it came to clearing up after the party, Anne was conspicuous by her absence (= very obviously absent when she should have been present).

▪ leave of absence (= permission to be absent)

▪

He asked for leave of absence from his job.

2 lack

ADJECTIVE

▪ complete, total

▪ virtual

▪ conspicuous, notable

▪

a conspicuous absence of evidence

PREPOSITION

▪ in the absence of

▪

In the absence of stone, most houses in the area are built of wood.