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Synonyms

missing

American  
[mis-ing] / ˈmɪs ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. absent, not found, or lost.

    a missing person.

  2. lacking.

    Something is missing in this relationship.

idioms

  1. go missing, to disappear; become lost.

    My keys have gone missing again.
missing British  
/ ˈmɪsɪŋ /

adjective

  1. not present; absent or lost

  2. not able to be traced and not known to be dead

    nine men were missing after the attack

  3. to become lost or disappear

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of missing

First recorded in 1520–30; miss 1 + -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She said "tens of thousands of customers" were affected by the closure, and advised them to contact the SRA and look out any missing paperwork.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

"Olfaction has been the one exception; it's the sense that has been missing a map for the longest time," Datta said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026

In December of 2025, Fowlie shared a missing person flier on Instagram and said in the caption that Downer had been missing and the family was concerned for her safety.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

After missing a month with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, Austin Reaves will make his series debut Wednesday with the Lakers trying to clinch their first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

The space between her eyebrows is missing as she whisper-yells at me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.