she was absent

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence 'she was absent' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to someone who has been absent from a particular event, class, school, or place. For example, "When we took attendance in class yesterday, she was absent."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

She was absent on the vote for the use of force in Iraq, just as she was absent on most parliamentary votes on the issue.

The Guardian - Opinion

(One is missing and there's a gap for the day she was absent).

The New York Times

She was absent for the vote on the state budget March 30 and 31.

The New York Times

Officials said out of the blue in August that she was absent, suffering from a serious and unnamed illness.

The Economist

As you mentioned, she was absent in this week's episode and we've got lots of comments coming in about her.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

She was absent a lot of things, and the selection of "tears" reveals far more about you than about her.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

She is absent, off the scene, unnamed.

The Guardian - Film

She is absent from much of the second half of the story.

The Guardian

She's absent," and continues: "It's that quality in her work that sells.

The New York Times

As a result, she is absent from his book except through secondhand anecdotes and reminiscences.

The New York Times

Usually, her voice is recorded, and she is absent; for one piece, though, she sang down a PA system to unsuspecting shoppers at a branch of Tesco.

The Guardian - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "she was absent" to indicate a state of being away or unavailable, distinguishing it from actions of leaving or departing, which would use verbs like "left" or "departed".

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions after "absent". The correct form is "absent from" (e.g., "She was absent from school"), not "absent at" or "absent in".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "she was absent" functions as an independent clause within a sentence. It typically serves as a statement of fact, indicating that a particular female individual was not present at a specific location or event. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

14%

Science

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "she was absent" is a grammatically sound and frequently used clause to indicate a woman's lack of presence in a particular context. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and shows that it's commonly found in news reporting, scientific writing, and general discourse. While the phrase itself is neutral, its impact depends heavily on the surrounding context. To ensure clarity, specify the location or event from which the individual was absent. Alternatives like "she was not present" or "she was away" can be used for variety, but maintain the same core meaning. Avoid common errors such as using incorrect prepositions after "absent". Overall, "she was absent" is a versatile and reliable way to describe someone's non-attendance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

she was not present

Directly replaces "absent" with "not present", maintaining the core meaning.

she was not there

A simple and direct way to express absence from a specific location.

she was away

Indicates a temporary departure or absence from a place.

she was unavailable

Focuses on her lack of availability, whether physically or otherwise.

she was out

Suggests she was not in a particular place because she was elsewhere.

she did not attend

Specifically refers to absence from an event or meeting.

she was off

Informal way of saying she wasn't working or available.

she was missing

Implies that her absence is unexpected or noticeable.

she was not participating

Focuses on her lack of involvement in an activity or event.

she took leave

Indicates an authorized absence, often from work or duty.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "she was absent"?

It means that a female person was not present in a specific place or at a particular event. The sentence indicates that the person was missing or not attending at a given time.

What can I say instead of "she was absent"?

You can use alternatives like "she was not present", "she was away", or "she did not attend" depending on the context.

How to use "she was absent" in a sentence?

You can use "she was absent" to indicate that someone was not in a particular place at a specific time. For example, "She was absent from the class today because she was sick."

What's the difference between "she was absent" and "she is absent"?

"She was absent" indicates that the person's absence occurred in the past, whereas "she is absent" indicates that the person is currently not present.