absolute

adjective

1
a
: free from imperfection : perfect
… it is a most absolute and excellent horse.William Shakespeare
b
: free or relatively free from mixture : pure
absolute alcohol
c
: outright, unmitigated
an absolute lie
2
: being, governed by, or characteristic of a ruler or authority completely free from constitutional or other restraint
absolute power
3
: having no restriction, exception, or qualification
an absolute requirement
absolute freedom
4
: positive, unquestionable
absolute proof
5
a
: independent of arbitrary standards of measurement
b
: relating to or derived in the simplest manner from the fundamental units of length, mass, and time
absolute electric units
c
: relating to, measured on, or being a temperature scale based on absolute zero
absolute temperature
specifically : kelvin
10° absolute
6
: fundamental, ultimate
absolute knowledge
7
: perfectly embodying the nature of a thing
absolute justice
8
grammar
a
: standing apart from a normal or usual syntactical relation with other words or sentence elements
the absolute construction this being the case in the sentence "this being the case, let us go"
b
of an adjective or possessive pronoun : standing alone without a modified substantive
Blind in "help the blind" and ours in "your work and ours" are absolute.
c
of a verb : having no object in the particular construction under consideration though normally transitive
Kill in "if looks could kill" is an absolute verb.
9
: being self-sufficient and free of external references or relationships
an absolute term in logic
absolute music
10
: being the true distance from an aircraft to the earth's surface
absolute altitude
absolute noun
absoluteness noun

Examples of absolute in a Sentence

You can't predict the future with absolute certainty. I have absolute faith in her ability to get the job done. He swore an oath of absolute secrecy. When it comes to using computers, I'm an absolute beginner. The country is ruled by an absolute dictator. The country is an absolute monarchy.
Recent Examples on the Web Thursday’s revisions set the new standard at 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads, reflecting advances in technology and how faster internet speeds have become an absolute necessity for everyday life, supporting everything from telehealth visits to remote work. Brian Fung, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 If no one wins an absolute majority in the first election, a second round is held between the two leading contenders, and the winner is required to win more than 50% of the vote. USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 In a video shared by Today, the Academy Award-nominee can be seen doing the absolute most to make sure his wife has plenty of gorgeous photos to share on her Instagram. Sabienna Bowman, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 In more-liberal states that have not enacted restrictive school LGBTQ+ laws, The Post found that the rise in FBI hate crimes was lower — though the absolute number of crimes was higher. John D. Harden, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 These organizations typically place an absolute premium on image authenticity and reject photographs that have been altered in any way. Deepti Hajela, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 Last week: 5 Results: lost at Oregon State 92-85 and Oregon 66-65 NET ranking: No. 52 Next up: vs. Arizona State (Wednesday in the Pac-12 tournament) Comment: An absolute clunker of a final weekend for the Utes caps a semi-clunker of a final month, which ends a quasi-clunker of a conference season. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 Security — an absolute necessity given how often strangers approach bearing weapons, intent on killing other players, which is in fact the whole point of the game — and digital stage management are provided by a motley crew of random gamers, in it for the love and/or LOLs. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 An absolute heartbreaker to Holy Family in last year’s 4A title game. Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'absolute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English absolut, borrowed from Latin absolūtus, from past participle of absolvere "to set free, acquit, finish, complete" — more at absolve

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of absolute was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near absolute

Cite this Entry

“Absolute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absolute. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

absolute

adjective
1
a
: free from imperfection : perfect
b
: free or nearly free from mixture : pure
absolute alcohol
2
: free from restraint or limitation
absolute power
an absolute monarch
3
: having no exceptions
an absolute requirement
absolute freedom
4
: free from doubt : certain
absolute proof
5
a
: independent of standards of measurement that reflect individual choice : actual
absolute brightness of a star
absolute motion
b
: relating to or coming from the basic units of length, mass, and time
absolute electric units
c
: relating to the absolute-temperature scale
10° absolute
absoluteness
-ˌlüt-nəs
-ˈlüt-
noun

Medical Definition

absolute

adjective
ab·​so·​lute ˌab-sə-ˈlüt How to pronounce absolute (audio)
1
: pure or relatively free from mixture
absolute methanol
2
: relating to, measured on, or being a temperature scale based on absolute zero
absolute temperature

Legal Definition

absolute

adjective
ab·​so·​lute
1
a
: free from qualification, condition, exception, or restriction
rights that even seem absolute have these qualificationsLong v. Rockwood, 277 U.S. 142 (1928)
see also absolute ownership at ownership compare qualified
b
in the civil law of Louisiana : having or allowing no legal effect
an absolute impediment
2
: final and not liable to modification
sometimes used after the word it modifies
divorce absolute
compare nisi
absolutely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on absolute

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!