absence from work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "absence from work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a situation where someone is not present at their job or workplace, often due to illness, personal reasons, or other circumstances. Example: "Her absence from work was noted by her supervisor, who expressed concern for her well-being."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Dan took a leave of absence from work.

The New York Times - Magazine

Last January, she had to take a month-long leave of absence from work.

The Guardian

Days earlier, authorities, suspicious about his prolonged absence from work, had visited their home.

The Guardian

She couldn't leave her job: three days' absence from work would get you arrested for desertion.

The Guardian

The resulting healthcare costs due to medication, hospitalizations, and absence from work are considerable2.

Nature

For example, periodic intoxication can cause sickness necessitating days of absence from work.

Encyclopedia Britannica

From November 1932 a single day's unauthorized absence from work became punishable by instant dismissal.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His paid leave of absence from work drops him in a void.

The New York Times

He said that because of his absence from work, his family will soon run out of money.

The Guardian

Snowden's absence from work had been noted, an automatic procedure when NSA staff do not turn up.

The Guardian

Ergonomics programs tend to be reactive when considering employees' complaints, absence from work, quantity of work accidents and occupational diseases.

Procedia Manufacturing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair with descriptive adjectives like 'prolonged', 'unauthorized' or 'prophylactic' to provide more precise context for the non-attendance.

Common error

Avoid using 'absent from work' when a noun is required to describe the concept or duration. While 'he was absent' is correct as an adjective, 'his absence from work' is necessary when referring to the event or its consequences as a subject or object.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "absence from work" functions as a complex noun phrase consisting of the head noun 'absence' followed by a prepositional phrase 'from work'. As seen in Ludwig AI examples, it is frequently used as the subject of a sentence (e.g. 'Snowden's "absence from work" had been noted') or the object of a preposition (e.g. 'due to his "absence from work"').

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

30%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Professional

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "absence from work" is an essential component of professional and academic English, particularly in the fields of human resources, medicine and economics. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used across high-authority sources like The New York Times and Nature. It serves as a precise noun phrase for describing non-attendance, whether for health, personal or legal reasons. Writers should use it when they need a formal alternative to casual terms like "time off". Its high frequency in scientific literature highlights its importance in quantitative studies regarding workplace productivity and public health.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

time off work

More informal and often used in casual conversation to describe a break or holiday.

time away from work

A neutral alternative that emphasizes the distance or duration of the break.

leave of absence

Refers specifically to a formally granted or sanctioned period of time away.

work absence

A condensed version of the phrase, often used as a compound noun in reporting.

missing work

A more active, verb-based phrasing common in daily speech.

workplace absenteeism

A more clinical or technical term referring to the habit or pattern of being absent.

sick leave

Narrowly focused on absences caused specifically by health issues or medical reasons.

non-attendance at work

Highly formal and often found in legal or strictly administrative documents.

authorized leave

Specifies that the absence has been approved by the employer.

failing to report for duty

Stronger connotation often used in military, security or essential service contexts.

FAQs

How do I use "absence from work" in a sentence?

You can use it as a noun phrase to describe a situation, such as: 'Her "absence from work" was due to a family emergency' or 'The company tracks every "absence from work" for payroll purposes'.

What is the difference between "absence from work" and "sick leave"?

While "absence from work" is a broad term covering any reason for not being present, "sick leave" specifically refers to time taken off for health reasons, often paid.

Is it correct to say "leave of absence" instead?

Yes, but "leave of absence" usually implies a formally requested and granted period, whereas "absence from work" can describe both planned and unplanned occurrences.

What is a more casual way to say "absence from work"?

In everyday conversation, you might simply use "time off" or "missing work" depending on the specific situation.