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Glite Dictionary
🚫 An absent person 🚫 To not attend
no-show

no-show

21 4.0
A person expected at an appointment who does not arrive and gives no notice
  • noun
  • /ˈnoʊˌʃoʊ/
translation icon : incomparecencia
  • They were a no-show last night at the Tuxedo Room.
  • no-show rate
  • no-show in court
  • two no-shows

Bush junior Reagan was less than a no show.

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Examples

  • Due to her frequent no-shows, the clinic had to charge a cancellation fee.

  • Just two no-shows in first class, huh?

    Airport (1970)

  • But he was a no-show at work today.

    The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

  • I expected him to look in, but he was a no-show.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The charges were dismissed this morning because Link was a no-show in court.

    Blog text (27)

  • Chicago's O'Hare Airport reports a record number of no-shows on flights to New York.

    Switching Channels (1988)

  • This is the third day of the Galaxy Con, and Jason Nesmith and his entire crew are no-shows here at the big event, much to the disappointment of all these fans.

    Galaxy Quest (1999)

  • Shawn, I was the clinic director, and any time that you were out there, my no-show rate climbed, which is why I was so annoyed with you.

    Unplanned (2019)

  • He was a no-show for his job interview, leaving the hiring manager disappointed.

  • The basketball team's no-show at the championship game affected their fans.

Synonyms

absentee
vsno-show
59 4.1

A person who is not present where they should be

emphasizes failing to arrive for an appointment without giving notice
nonattender
vsno-show
6.9

A person who does not go to a meeting or event when expected

fails to arrive without giving any advance notice
flaker
vsno-show
  • Offensive
8.4

A person who often cancels plans or fails to show up

means a single expected absence rather than repeated cancellations

Antonyms

attendee
68 3.0

A person who goes to and takes part in an event

How Reliable

regular
111 2.8
attendee
68 3.0
latecomer
5 2.8
no-show
21 4.0

Surface Forms

no-show singular
no-shows plural

Morphology

no-show = no + show (semi-transparent) = no + show

The components 'no' and 'show' are clear, but the idiomatic meaning of someone not attending is not directly derivable.

Etymology

No-show comes from the simple parts no- and show, which together mean 'not showing up'. Think of a name on a guest list with a line through it; a no-show is someone who was expected but did not arrive.