absenteeism

absenteeism — noun

1. the pattern of staying away from your job or classes again and again, often with

1.nounC1
Definition

the pattern of staying away from your job or classes again and again, often without a real reason such as illness — usually treated as a problem by employers or teachers.

Example

Absenteeism among factory workers rose sharply after the night shifts were extended.

absenteeism among + group

Mr. Lin warned the class that high absenteeism would lower their final grades.

high absenteeism (typical adjective collocation)

Common collocations
  • high absenteeism
  • chronic absenteeism
  • reduce absenteeism
  • absenteeism rate
  • staff absenteeism
  • tackle absenteeism
Synonyms
  • truancy

    specifically children skipping school without permission; narrower than absenteeism

  • non-attendance

    very formal; describes the simple fact of not showing up, without the implication of a habit

  • skiving

    British informal; suggests deliberately avoiding work or class

Antonyms
  • attendance

    the act of being present, often measured against absenteeism

  • presenteeism

    coming to work even when sick or unproductive — the opposite workplace problem

Grammar Patterns

absenteeism among + group

absenteeism rate

Usage Note

Uncountable; almost always used to describe a group or workplace pattern, not a single missed day. Common subjects are companies, schools, or sectors rather than individuals.

Common Mistakes

Tom had an absenteeism yesterday.
Tom was absent yesterday.
'absenteeism' is uncountable and describes a repeated pattern, not one occasion.
The teacher noticed his absenteeisms this term.
The teacher noticed his frequent absences this term.
no plural form; use 'absences' for countable instances.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe people not being where they are expected to be, but each carries a different flavour. 'Absenteeism' is the broadest and most neutral term used in workplaces and schools to describe a measurable pattern, often paired with figures and rates: 'the company tracks absenteeism every quarter.' 'Truancy' is reserved for school-age children who skip class without permission and often appears in legal or social-work contexts: 'the city sends officers to investigate truancy.' 'Non-attendance' is very formal and bureaucratic, describing the bare fact of not appearing, with no judgment attached: 'non-attendance at the hearing will be recorded.' 'Skiving' is British and informal, hinting that the person is dodging work on purpose: 'he was caught skiving off at the cafe.'

absenteeism ↗truancynon-attendanceskiving

Common collocations

Nouns

  • absenteeism rate
  • absenteeism problem
  • staff absenteeism
  • employee absenteeism
  • student absenteeism

Adverbs

Phrases

  • high levels of absenteeism
  • tackle absenteeism
  • reduce absenteeism
  • combat absenteeism

Prepositions

  • absenteeism among
  • absenteeism from
  • absenteeism in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Built on the noun 'absentee' (a person who is away when expected), which itself comes from Latin 'absens' meaning 'being away'. The '-ism' ending was added in the 19th century to name the pattern or condition of being a habitual absentee, first in Irish land-ownership debates (landlords living abroad) and later spreading into the modern workplace and school sense.