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nounnoun

der Abwesender, Abwesende

absentee

Definition & meaning

Abwesender means an absent person—someone who is not present at a particular place or event.

It is the masculine form of the noun made from the adjective abwesend (“absent”). The corresponding feminine form is Abwesende. Depending on context, it can also mean an absentee, especially in formal or administrative language.

Grammar & Word origin

Abwesender is a substantivized adjective, so it is capitalized and takes adjective endings:

  • ein Abwesender — an absent man/person
  • der Abwesende — the absent man/person
  • eine Abwesende — an absent woman/person
  • die Abwesenden — the absent people

The word is formed from abwesend (“absent”) with the adjective ending -er. Abwesend is built from ab- (“away”) and the older element wesend, related to sein (“to be”).

Synonyms & antonyms

  • Nichtanwesender — a close, relatively formal synonym; it literally means someone who is not present.
  • Fernbleibender — emphasizes someone staying away or not attending, sometimes by choice.
  • Ausbleibender — often suggests someone expected to arrive or attend who has not turned up.

The main antonym is:

  • Anwesender — someone who is present.

Common phrases & collocations

  • die Abwesenden entschuldigen — to excuse the absent people
  • die Abwesenden vertreten — to represent those who are absent
  • in Abwesenheit des Abwesenden — in the absent person’s absence

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Examples

Der Lehrer zählt die Abwesenden.noun

The teacher counts the absentees.

Die Abwesenden erhalten die Unterlagen per Post.noun

The absentees will receive the documents by mail.

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