absent

Compared meaning: completely lacking something (adjective).

比较义项：缺乏、没有（形容词）。

• absent 本词

  Usually describes someone or something missing from a place or occasion ('absent from class'); can also mean a quality is simply not present; neutral, everyday word, no sense of severity.

  通常指人或事物不在某个地点或场合（如“absent from class”缺课）；也可指某种特质单纯不存在；语气中性，日常用词，不含程度严重的意味。

  Two key witnesses were absent from the trial this morning.

  今天上午，两名关键证人缺席了庭审。

• devoid

  Means completely lacking a quality or characteristic; always followed by 'of'; formal or literary register; often used for something notably empty of a positive trait like warmth or humor.

  表示完全缺乏某种特质或特征；后面总是接“of”；语域正式、书面化；常用于形容明显缺少某种积极品质（如温暖、生气、幽默感）。

  The apartment was completely devoid of personality, just bare white walls.

  这间公寓完全没有个性，只有光秃秃的白墙。

• destitute

  Describes a person lacking basic necessities like money, food, or shelter; implies extreme poverty; used alone rather than with 'of' in modern English, with a strong negative connotation.

  指人缺乏基本生活必需品，如金钱、食物或住所；含极度贫困之意；现代英语中通常单独使用（不接“of”），带有强烈的负面色彩。

  After the flood, many families were left destitute and homeless.

  洪水过后，许多家庭一贫如洗、无家可归。

Absent, devoid, and destitute all mean lacking something. Absent describes someone or something missing from a place, a neutral, everyday word. Devoid means completely lacking a quality, always followed by 'of'. Destitute describes a person lacking basic necessities like money or shelter, meaning extreme poverty.

这三个词都表示“缺乏某物”，但缺乏的对象和使用场合不同：absent 强调人或事物不在场，devoid 强调完全没有某种特质，destitute 强调缺少基本生活必需品、陷入贫困。三者的语域和搭配也不同，不能随意互换。

Compared meaning: not paying attention, with the mind elsewhere (adjective).

比较义项：心不在焉、无法专心（形容词）。

• absent 本词

  Describes someone's mind, look or expression as vacant or far away, without stating a specific cause; suggests daydreaming or preoccupation rather than being disturbed by something; slightly more literary.

  形容一个人的神情或思绪显得空茫、心不在焉，并不说明具体原因，暗示走神或陷入沉思，而非被某事干扰；语气略偏书面。

  He gave an absent smile, clearly thinking about something else entirely.

  他心不在焉地笑了笑，显然在想别的事情。

• distracted

  Implies attention is pulled away by a specific external cause (worry, noise, a phone) preventing concentration; often used for momentary lapses with real consequences, e.g., 'distracted driving'; more common in everyday and safety contexts.

  强调注意力被某个具体的外部原因（如忧虑、噪音、手机）干扰而无法集中，常用于描述可能带来后果的一时疏忽，例如“分心驾驶”；在日常和安全语境中更常用。

  Texting behind the wheel, she was too distracted to notice the red light.

  她开车时一边发短信，心烦意乱，没有注意到红灯。

Absent and distracted both mean unable to concentrate. Absent means the mind seems far away, for no stated reason, and sounds literary. Distracted means a specific cause, like worry or noise, pulls attention away, often with consequences. Absent can mean 'not present'; not compared here.

这两个词在“心不在焉、无法专心”这个意义上很接近，但 absent 只描述心思飘忽、神情茫然，不涉及具体原因，语气较中性、偏书面；distracted 则强调注意力被某个具体因素（如忧虑、手机、噪音）打断而无法专心，语气更口语化，也常带来后果。这里不比较 absent 的“缺席的、不在场的”这一义项。