What Is Another Way to Say “Not Present”?

Looking for synonyms for not present? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say not present.

  • Absent
  • Missing
  • Unavailable
  • Away
  • Not in attendance
  • Nonexistent
  • Not on hand
  • Gone
  • Not there
  • Elsewhere
  • Out
  • Off-site
  • Not around
  • In absentia
  • Unaccounted for

Want to learn how to say not present professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Absent

Used to describe someone who is not present in a specific place or event.

  • Example: “John was absent from the team meeting yesterday due to illness.”

2. Missing

Appropriate when someone or something expected to be present cannot be found.

  • Example: “The key document is missing from the report; we need to locate it urgently.”

3. Unavailable

Suitable for situations where a person is not free or accessible at a given time.

  • Example: “The manager is unavailable for comment at the moment; she’s in a conference.”

4. Away

Used to describe someone who is not at a particular place, typically for a short period.

  • Example: “Our lead designer is away on a business trip until next week.”

5. Not in Attendance

Appropriate for formal situations where someone is not present at an event or meeting.

  • Example: “The CEO was not in attendance at the annual general meeting.”

6. Nonexistent

Used to imply that something does not exist or is not present in the given context.

  • Example: “In our records, the file you’re asking for is nonexistent.”

7. Not on Hand

Suitable for indicating that someone or something is not immediately available or accessible.

  • Example: “Sorry, the director is not on hand to answer your questions right now.”

8. Gone

Used to describe someone who has left a place, usually recently.

  • Example: “She’s gone to the other office for the remainder of the day.”

9. Not There

A straightforward way to state that someone is not present in a specific location.

  • Example: “I checked his office, but he was not there.”

10. Elsewhere

Appropriate for indicating that someone is in another place.

  • Example: “The project manager is currently elsewhere, attending a workshop.”

11. Out

Used in casual contexts to describe someone who is not in their usual place (e.g., office, home).

  • Example: “He’s out for lunch; can he call you back later?”

12. Off-Site

Suitable for describing someone who is not at the main location, often for work reasons.

  • Example: “The team is off-site today for a team building activity.”

13. Not Around

Used informally to indicate that someone is not present in the vicinity.

  • Example: “She’s not around at the moment; would you like to leave a message?”

14. In Absentia

A formal or legal term used to describe someone’s absence from a place where they are expected to be.

  • Example: “The award was accepted on his behalf in absentia.”

15. Unaccounted for

Appropriate in situations where someone’s whereabouts are unknown or they are missing.

  • Example: “After the fire drill, one employee was still unaccounted for.”

Linda Brown