Missing people (9)
(Other definitions for absentees that I've seen before include "One gets fonder of those" , "They're not present at the required time" , "who may have apologised to chairman" .)
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">missing people?</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I've seen this in another clue)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for lonely that I've seen before include "In want of company" , "Solitary and sad" , "Solitary, lacking company" , "Remote" , "Short of companionship" .)