# absent

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈæb.sn̩t/ · frequency rank #7,307

## Definitions
1. Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; existing but not present; (sometimes) missing.
2. Not existing.
3. Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied.

## Etymology
From Middle English absent, from Middle French absent, from Old French ausent, and their source, Latin absens, present participle of absum (“to be away from”), from ab (“away”) + sum (“to be”).

## Easily confused with
- **agent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-agent)
- **asset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-asset)
- **arent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-arent)
- **accent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-accent)
- **advent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-advent)
- **assert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-assert)
- **ascent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-ascent)
- **ardent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-ardent)
- **assent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-assent)
- **argent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-argent)
- **ambient** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-ambient)
- **absentee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-absentee)
- **absentia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absent-vs-absentia)
- **abject** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abject-vs-absent)
- **absence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absence-vs-absent)

## Common misspellings (9)
`abbsent`, `abesnt`, `absennt`, `absentt`, `absetn`, `absnet`, `abssent`, `asbent`, `basent`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/absent