Cool MateAbsent vs She's not showing at all
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Absent
Top 2,000 (common)C1adjective
She's not showing at all
Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: Absent
| Absent | She's not showing at all | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈæbsənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈæbsənt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ʃiːz nɒt ˈʃoʊɪŋ æt ɔːl//🇺🇸 //ʃiz nɑt ˈʃoʊɪŋ æt ɔl// |
| Meaning | not present or not here | She is completely absent or not present. |
| Example | She was absent from work for two weeks. | I called her, but she's not showing at all. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, remain, completely, entirely, quite, from, absent without leave, be, remain, completely, entirely, quite, from, absent without leave | showing up, not showing, missing out |
| Antonyms | present, there, available | present, attending |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'absentee' which refers to a person who is not present., Using 'absent' improperly when discussing someone who is temporarily away, instead of permanently missing., Incorrectly assuming 'absent' can be used as an adverb when it is an adjective. | Using 'she's not showing up at all' interchangeably, which may sound awkward in some contexts., Confusing 'showing' with 'showing up'., Omitting 'at all' and saying 'she's not showing'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'absent' to describe someone who is not in a place where they are expected to be. It can be formal or neutral, but avoid using it in very casual contexts. | Use in casual conversations to describe someone who is missing. Avoid in formal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Absent vs She's not showing at all
What's the difference between Absent and She's not showing at all?
Absent: not present or not here She's not showing at all: She is completely absent or not present.
Which is more common: Absent and She's not showing at all?
Absent is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Absent: She was absent from work for two weeks. She's not showing at all: I called her, but she's not showing at all.
Can I use Absent and She's not showing at all interchangeably?
Not always. Absent and She's not showing at all are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.