truant
/ˈtruː.ənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtruː.ənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtrü-ənt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈtruːənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtruːənt/ (ame, ipa)
truant — noun
- truantsingular
- truantsplural
1. a school student who often stays away from class without permission
a school student who often stays away from class without permission
Feng's homeroom teacher called his mother after he became a repeat truant.
repeat truant in school discipline context
The school counsellor met each truant before the new term started.
After three warning letters, the judge ordered the truant back to class.
Amira sat beside a nervous truant in the attendance office.
- absentee
broader and more formal; may include people absent for legitimate reasons
- school skipper
more informal and more obviously focused on deliberately missing school
文法句型
a truant
repeat truant
用法筆記
Usually used by schools, courts, or social workers about a child or teenager. It implies skipping school without permission, not simply being absent for a valid reason.
常見錯誤
2. a person who avoids the work or responsibilities that they should do
a person who avoids the work or responsibilities that they should do
The editor mocked each truant who vanished when the final deadline came.
truant meaning a duty shirker
During the fire drill, one truant hid in the canteen instead of helping.
The report blamed a few truants for leaving the hardest tasks unfinished.
Yael refused to cover for another truant on the hospital ward.
文法句型
a truant
truants in the team
用法筆記
Broader and much rarer than noun sense 1. It is used in formal or literary contexts about avoiding duty in general, not specifically about school.
truant — verb
- truantpresent simple I / you / we / they
- truantshe / she / it
- truantedpast simple
- truanting-ing form
1. to miss school on purpose without being allowed, often while acting as if you ha
to miss school on purpose without being allowed, often while acting as if you had gone
Christopher truanted from school and spent the morning at the arcade.
truant from school
After lunch, two boys truanted and waited behind the sports hall.
Quinn often truanted on Fridays to avoid the weekly maths test.
The brothers truanted for a month while their parents worked overseas.
- play truant
the common fixed British phrase for this action
- skip school
more transparent and common in modern everyday English
- attend
to go to the class or school as required
文法句型
truant
truant from school
用法筆記
Usually used of school-age children. In British English, the fixed phrase 'play truant' is especially common and often sounds more idiomatic than the bare verb.
常見錯誤
truant — adjective
- truantpositive
- more truantcomparative
- most truantsuperlative
1. describes a student or child who is away from school without permission
describes a student or child who is away from school without permission
Teachers checked on several truant pupils after Monday's storm closed the bridge.
truant + pupils
The principal separated truant students from the rest of the class.
A truant child was found sleeping in the library stairwell.
The district hired more staff to track truant teenagers across town.
- absent
broader and neutral; does not itself imply rule-breaking
- unauthorized
more formal and describes the lack of permission directly
- present
in attendance rather than absent
文法句型
truant + student/pupil/child
用法筆記
Most often appears before words like student, pupil, child, or teenager. Distinguish it from adjective sense 2, which is about neglecting duties more generally.
常見錯誤
2. describes someone who avoids duties instead of doing the work expected from them
describes someone who avoids duties instead of doing the work expected from them
The committee removed a truant board member after months of missed meetings.
truant + board member
Arjun complained about a truant worker who never finished the stock list.
The mayor warned truant officials that voters were watching closely.
A truant partner left Anong to manage the food stall alone.
- shirking
close in meaning and often used for avoiding duty
- neglectful
broader and can describe failing to give enough care or attention
- dutiful
doing what is expected responsibly
文法句型
truant + member/worker/official
用法筆記
Usually appears before a noun such as member, worker, partner, or official. Distinguish it from adjective sense 1, which is specifically about school absence.