Fraværende

Fraværende is a Norwegian adjective meaning "absent" or "not present." It can describe someone who is physically away from a place, as in "Hun var fraværende fra møtet," or someone who is mentally distracted or not paying attention, as in "Han var fraværende under foredraget." The term is neutral and widely used in everyday language, journalism, education, and clinical descriptions to indicate a lack of presence or engagement.

The word is formed from the noun fravær (absence) with the suffix -ende, which creates an adjective describing a state or condition. In Norwegian, fraværende behaves as a standard adjective and agrees with gender and number. Examples include indefinit singular: fraværende; definite singular: den fraværende personen; plural: fraværende; definite plural: de fraværende personene. The expression fraværende oppmerksomhet is common for describing mental distraction or wandering attention.

Usage notes and nuance: fraværende often conveys a temporary or situational absence, either physical or cognitive. It can describe a person who is not present in a setting or someone whose attention is elsewhere. The opposite term is tilstedeværende, meaning present. In medical or psychological contexts, fraværende may appear in phrases referring to attention lapses or mind-wandering.

See also: fravær, tilstedeværende.