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I have two sentences, given below, and I need your help to identify if there is any error in any one of them and if there is then What it is?

  1. He was absent from the meeting.
  2. He absented himself from the meeting.
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  • They both sound great to me, chief! Keep up the good work! If you're writing "absent" as a reflexive verb and this is your second language, you've already done more than I have because, as a native speaker, I don't think I've ever used "absent" as a verb. I know it can be done because I've heard it before, but I would never say it! It's impressive, though!
    – Nick
    Oct 29, 2017 at 0:06

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There is no error in either. In the first case, "absent" is an adjective that simply means "not present." There is no implication on whether not being present was due to impossiblity, accident, ignorance, or intent. In the second case, "absent" is a reflexive verb that means "deliberately not attend despite attendance being possible." It is a synonym for "stay away" or "avoid."

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