truancy

7 synonyms and 1 antonym for truancy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The act of staying away from school without permission or a valid reason.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

absence

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

absenteeism skiving playing truant hooky shirking dereliction

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The act of staying away from school without permission or a valid reason.

“The school introduced text alerts to parents in an effort to cut truancy.”

absenteeism skiving playing truant hooky

Opposites

attendance

2. noun

Absence from any duty or place where a person is expected to be, without leave.

“Her truancy from board meetings eventually cost her the seat.”

absence shirking dereliction

How to use truancy

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

persistent truancy truancy rates tackle truancy truancy officer

Formal and often legal or official; teachers and courts use it, pupils themselves rarely do.

Etymology

From truant, which came into English from Old French truant meaning 'vagabond' or 'beggar'.

Full origin of truancy →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between truancy and an authorised absence?

An authorised absence is one the school has agreed to, such as illness or a medical appointment. Truancy is absence the school has not approved, whether the pupil is hiding it from parents or the parents have kept them off without an accepted reason.

What is the verb form of truancy?

There is no common verb 'to truant' in everyday use. British English says 'to play truant' or informally 'to skive', while American English says 'to play hooky' or 'to skip school'.

Can parents be punished for truancy?

In many countries yes. Because the legal duty is on the parent to ensure a child receives an education, persistent unauthorised absence can lead to fines or prosecution of the parent rather than the child.

People also searched

absence attendance absenteeism skiving shirking dereliction hooky

Nearby words

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