Pulse radiolysis transient UV-visible absorption spectroscopy was used to study the UV-visible absorption spectrum (225-575 nm) of the phenyl radical, C₆H₅(·), and kinetics of its reaction with NO. Phenyl radicals have a strong broad featureless absorption in the region of 225-340 nm. In the presence of NO phenyl radicals are converted into nitrosobenzene. The phenyl radical spectrum was measured relative to that of nitrosobenzene. Based upon σ(C₆H₅NO)_{270 nm} = 3.82 × 10^-17 cm² molecule^-1 we derive an absorption cross-section for phenyl radicals at 250 nm, σ(C₆H₅(·))_{250 nm} = (2.75 ± 0.58) × 10^-17 cm² molecule^-1. At 295 K in 200-1000 mbar of Ar diluent k(C₆H₅(·) + NO) = (2.09 ± 0.15) × 10^-11 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1.