An effective reduction of vibration overshoots is intended to be effected in a drive shaft, which is configured as a hollow shaft (8), with simple means at the particular vibration maximum (vibration antinode). A vibration absorber (2) is arranged within the hollow shaft (8) and includes a damping mass (absorber mass) (4) and an elastic coupling element (6). The absorber mass (4) is operatively connected to the inner wall of the hollow drive shaft (8) via the elastic coupling (6). The absorber mass is configured to be rotationally symmetrical and axially symmetrical and has, at its center, a constriction (12) for accommodating the elastic coupling element (6). For use as a drive shaft (hollow shaft) (8), which is built in in the vehicle transverse direction, and for use as a drive shaft (8) (cardanic shaft configured as hollow shaft) which is built in in the vehicle longitudinal direction.