How to pronounce absence
Say it like AB-suns. Absence has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce absence. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- AB
- suns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Absence pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ABSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- sunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of absence
American and British speakers say absence in essentially the same way: /ˈæbsəns/ in the US and /ˈæbsəns/ in the UK.
British respelling: AB-suns.
What does absence mean?
- the state of being absent“he was surprised by the absence of any explanation”
- failure to be present
- the time interval during which something or somebody is away“he visited during my absence”
Where does absence come from?
From Middle English absence, from Old French absence, ausence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“to be away or absent”), from ab (“from, away from”) + sum (“to be”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying absence
How do you pronounce absence?
Say AB-suns. The American pronunciation is /ˈæbsəns/. In British English it is /ˈæbsəns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in absence?
Absence has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (AB). Broken into parts: AB · suns.
Do Americans and Brits say absence the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈæbsəns/ and the British form is /ˈæbsəns/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.