truants - Master This Word
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truants Word Meanings
- a student who stays away from school without permission
- someone who is absent from their duty or responsibility
- a person who avoids obligations
truants Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
truants Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈtruːənt/
US
/ˈtruənt/
truants Word Etymology
truant = 'tromper' (to deceive) + 'du' (of/from) in Old French, came into English in the 14th century. Imagine a student sneaking out of class, lured by the excitement outside, leaving their responsibilities behind.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputReal Context
Truant is a noun for a person, especially a student, who stays away from school without permission; it can also describe someone who shirks duties. As an adjective, truant describes a person or behavior that is absent from responsibilities. In everyday use, teachers may talk about truants to discuss attendance problems, while the behavior of truants suggests repeated or deliberate absence rather than a single illness. The term carries a judgment about responsibility and seriousness, and it is more common in schools or formal contexts than in casual speech. In legal or school policy discussions, truancy laws track missing classes and may involve parents or guardians; in broader life, a truant is someone who avoids duties or commitments.
Usage Reminders
- - Truant usually implies intentional absence, not a mere illness.
- - Check whether the context is a noun or adjective to avoid confusion.
- - Use caution in informal speech; it's somewhat old-fashioned.
- - Don't confuse with absent which is broader.
- - In school policy, truancy can trigger a report or consequences.
Common Misconceptions
- Believing truancy only means being late once.
- Thinking truant is the same as absent due to illness.
- Assuming all absences are truancy.
- Confusing truancy with general laziness, not situational behavior.
- Assuming adults cannot be truants.
Thinking Differences
English tends to separate absence from identity; learners may overdefine truancy as laziness or misinterpret missing one day as truancy.
Learning Tips
- Study common collocations (truant behavior, truancy laws).
- Compare with words like absent, away, and skip.
- Notice tone: often negative in schools, not neutral.
- Watch for both noun and adjective uses in sentences.
- Practice from news articles about school policy.
- Use a diary entry to describe a hypothetical truancy scenario.
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
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