- a variation of AWOL.
absent without leave
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He has been absent without leave since June 14, apparently in a “D.C. area hospital” receiving “excellent care.”
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
Despite the national veneration of units like Vizirenko’s, Ukraine has struggled to recruit and retain fighters, with about 200,000 listed as absent without leave, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told the country’s parliament in January.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Last month the country's defence minister revealed that a staggering 200,000 soldiers were absent without leave.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026
While he was gone, Army leaders declared him absent without leave, opting to not consider him a deserter, which is far more serious.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 19, 2023
Several men were absent without leave, and he attributed this unusual occurrence to the severe measures the colonel had taken when certain troopers refused to use the cartridges supplied for the new Enfield rifle.
From The Red Year A Story of the Indian Mutiny by Louis Tracy
