Absent Is Two Words: One You Say, One You Stress Differently
Absent means not present. The adjective and the verb are spelled alike but stressed on different syllables.
Absent means not present. It is one of a large family of English words where the stress moves: the adjective is AB-sent, the verb is ab-SENT. English has dozens of these pairs, and the rule is remarkably consistent — nouns and adjectives take the stress at the front, verbs at the back.
- Not present. *Absent from class.*
- Lacking. *Absent any evidence.*
- To keep oneself away. *He absented himself.*
- Distracted. *An absent expression.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | absent | Absent again. |
| Verb | absent | Absent yourself. |
| Noun | absence | A long absence. |
| Person | absentee | Absentee ballot. |
| Compound | absent-minded | Absent-minded professor. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Three pupils were absent.Adjective, stress on AB.
- He absented himself from the meeting.Verb, stress on SENT.
- Absent a better plan, we proceed.A formal preposition meaning in the absence of.
Stress-shifting pairs
- REcord (noun) / reCORD (verb)
- PREsent (noun) / preSENT (verb)
- CONtract (noun) / conTRACT (verb)
- REbel (noun) / reBEL (verb)
- PERmit (noun) / perMIT (verb)
From Latin *absentem*, from *ab*, away, and *esse*, to be. Literally being away.
Absent or absence?
Absent is the adjective or verb, absence the noun. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, not absent.
Is *absent* a preposition?
In formal and legal English, yes. Absent further evidence means in the absence of further evidence.