absolute
adjective
ab·so·lute
ˈab-sə-ˌlüt 
ˌab-sə-ˈlüt
ˌab-sə-ˈlüt
1
a
: free from imperfection : perfect
… it is a most absolute and excellent horse.—
William Shakespeare
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
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
Brain metabolites were measured relatively, not in absolute concentrations.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2025
Best Time to Visit With Maifest in the spring and quaint holiday traditions in the winter, there's always something to do in Hermann, Missouri—but autumn is an absolute must-visit.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
At the absolute minimum, Prince Andrew and others in Epstein’s orbit showed a pathological incuriosity about the young girls who surrounded him—and that is stretching good faith to its very limit.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
What may be grinding fans' gears even further, of course, is the fact that the team's former franchise superstar Luka Doncic remains an absolute offensive juggernaut, and is currently lighting up the opposition for the Los Angeles Lakers.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for absolute
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2025
Best Time to Visit With Maifest in the spring and quaint holiday traditions in the winter, there's always something to do in Hermann, Missouri—but autumn is an absolute must-visit.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
At the absolute minimum, Prince Andrew and others in Epstein’s orbit showed a pathological incuriosity about the young girls who surrounded him—and that is stretching good faith to its very limit.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
What may be grinding fans' gears even further, of course, is the fact that the team's former franchise superstar Luka Doncic remains an absolute offensive juggernaut, and is currently lighting up the opposition for the Los Angeles Lakers.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for absolute
Cite this Entry
“Absolute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absolute. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
absolute
adjective
ab·so·lute
ˈab-sə-ˌlüt
ˌab-sə-ˈlüt
ˌab-sə-ˈlüt
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
noun
-ˌlüt-nəs
-ˈlüt-
Medical Definition
absolute
adjective
ab·so·lute
ˌab-sə-ˈlüt
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 qualifications—Long v. Rockwood, 277 U.S. 142 (1928)
see also absolute ownership at ownership compare qualified
Long v. Rockwood, 277 U.S. 142 (1928)
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
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