absentee
noun
ab·sen·tee
ˌab-sən-ˈtē 
: one that is absent: such as
a
: a proprietor of an estate or business who lives far away from it and rarely visits it
b
: one missing from work or school
absentee
adjective
Examples of absentee in a Sentence
There were 10 sick absentees that day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Her new novel is about an absentee father figure, Mac, a TV actor whose sudden passing causes those who loved him to reconfigure their relationships around his void.
—
Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026
Early in-person and absentee voting started in mid-May, and the number of ballots already returned by Democrats has been particularly high.
—Margie Cullen, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Many Chicagoans were irate that their absentee neighbor gobbled up parkland for his private fiefdom, though center staff point out that the project really added a few extra acres to it by excising the roadway that cut the South Side off from the water.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 4 June 2026
People who couldn’t get to the polls for whatever reason could request an absentee ballot or even request to be a permanent absentee voter.
—Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for absentee
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Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026
Early in-person and absentee voting started in mid-May, and the number of ballots already returned by Democrats has been particularly high.
—Margie Cullen, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Many Chicagoans were irate that their absentee neighbor gobbled up parkland for his private fiefdom, though center staff point out that the project really added a few extra acres to it by excising the roadway that cut the South Side off from the water.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 4 June 2026
People who couldn’t get to the polls for whatever reason could request an absentee ballot or even request to be a permanent absentee voter.
—Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for absentee
Cite this Entry
“Absentee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absentee. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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Legal Definition
absentee
noun
ab·sen·tee
ˌab-sən-ˈtē
: one that is absent: as
a
: a proprietor who lives away from his or her business or estate
b
: a potential party to a legal action who is not present or does not have a representative present at a proceeding
absentee
adjective
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