be absent from work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be absent from work" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to explain that someone has not reported to work on a particular day. Example: My neighbor had to be absent from work today because he isn't feeling well.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

They're more likely to be absent from work.

The Washington Post

Employees who exercise regularly are generally healthier, more productive and less likely to be absent from work.

The Guardian

There was evidence that two of Mr. Staub's supervisors were hostile to him because his military duties had caused him to be absent from work one weekend a month and two or three weeks a year.

The New York Times

The 227-page plan estimates that a third of the population could become infected, two million people could die, 40percentt of employees might be absent from work during the height of the outbreak, and $600 billion in income could be lost nationwide.

The New York Times - Health

In order to receive this pay differential, the employee must have been hired prior to receiving notice to appear in court, must inform the supervisor of his or her intention to be absent from work, and must present a certified statement of earnings from the court for the period of service.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Bowman texted the Blue Apron employee hotline, which the lawsuit says is a "common practice for employees," to let her boss know she would be absent from work.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

Both men and women experience episodes during their working careers where they are absent from work.

Journal for Labour Market Research

In addition to productivity loss, the LEAPS data show that depressed patients were absent from work for 16% of their scheduled work hours (over 1.5 typical working days) in the previous two weeks.

BMC Psychiatry

He was absent from work and lost his apprenticeship in the sheet-metal workers union.

The New York Times

About one in every three employees seen by their occupational physician is absent from work because of psychosocial health complaints.

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

The average amount of time people were absent from work in Norway in 2002, not including vacations, was 4.8 weeks.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be absent from work", ensure the context clearly indicates the reason for absence, such as illness, leave, or other circumstances. This helps avoid ambiguity and provides necessary information.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions such as "be absent at work" or "be absent in work". The correct preposition is "from".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be absent from work" functions as a verb phrase indicating a state of not being present at one's job. This phrase is used to describe an employee's absence, whether due to illness, personal reasons, or other circumstances. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be absent from work" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate that an individual is not present at their job. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s suitable for various contexts, including news reports, academic discussions, and general conversations. The phrase is most frequently found in scientific and news-related sources. To ensure clarity, specify the reason for absence. Common alternatives include "take time off work" and "miss work". Avoid using incorrect prepositions like "at" or "in" with "absent"; the correct form is "absent from".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

miss work

This is a straightforward way of saying someone did not attend work.

be off work

This is a more concise and informal way to say someone is not working.

be not working

This is a simple and clear statement of not being at work.

not attend work

A formal and direct way of stating the absence.

be away from work

This indicates a general absence without specifying the reason.

be not present at work

This emphasizes the lack of physical presence at the workplace.

take time off work

This alternative focuses on the act of taking a break or leave from work.

be on sick leave

This specifies that the absence is due to illness.

be out of office

This phrase is often used in professional settings to indicate temporary absence.

be on leave

This indicates an absence that is authorized or planned.

FAQs

How can I use "be absent from work" in a sentence?

You can use "be absent from work" to indicate that someone is not at their job. For example: "My neighbor had to "be absent from work" today because he isn't feeling well".

What are some alternatives to saying "be absent from work"?

You can use alternatives like "take time off work", "be off work", or "miss work" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "be absent at work" instead of "be absent from work"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "absent" in this context is "from". Saying "be absent at work" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "be absent from work" and "be on leave"?

"Be absent from work" is a general term for not being at work, while "be on leave" implies that the absence is authorized or planned, such as vacation or sick leave.