disappear
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to cease to be seen; vanish from sight.
-
to cease to exist or be known; pass away; end gradually.
One by one the symptoms disappeared.
-
(of a person) to vanish under suspicious circumstances.
The dictator's outspoken opponent disappeared that evening, shortly after midnight.
verb (used with object)
-
to cause to disappear.
The magician then disappeared the card.
-
to kidnap or arrest and then imprison or kill (a political opponent) without due process of law.
verb
-
(intr) to cease to be visible; vanish
-
(intr) to go away or become lost, esp secretly or without explanation
-
(intr) to cease to exist, have effect, or be known; become extinct or lost
the pain has disappeared
-
(tr) (esp in South and Central America) to arrest secretly and presumably imprison or kill (a member of an opposing political group)
Synonym Usage
Disappear, fade, vanish suggest that something passes from sight. Disappear is used of whatever suddenly or gradually goes out of sight: We watched him turn down a side street and then disappear. Fade suggests a (complete or partial) disappearance that proceeds gradually and often by means of a blending into something else: Colors in the sky at sunrise quickly fade. Vanish suggests complete, generally rapid, and often mysterious disappearance: A mirage can vanish as suddenly as it appears.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has disappearedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have disappearedperfect
-
am disappearingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is disappearingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
are disappearingprogressive
-
has been disappearingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been disappearingperfect progressive
-
disappearingparticiple
-
disappearssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had disappearedperfect
-
was disappearingprogressive singular
-
had been disappearingperfect progressive
-
were disappearingprogressive plural
-
disappearedsimple
-
disappearedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of disappear
Explanation
When something disappears, it's gone. To disappear is to vanish, evaporate, or just fade away. The word disappear is made up of dis, meaning "do the opposite of" and appear. So to disappear is to do the opposite of appear. Magicians are experts at making things disappear: one minute the rabbit is here, and the next, it's gone! When you lose something, like one of a pair of socks, you could say it disappeared. Snow disappears as it melts; boiling water disappears as it evaporates. Anything that goes away without leaving a trace has disappeared.
Vocabulary lists containing disappear
"Hitching a Ride"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Let It Be
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
As these proteins disappear, homologous recombination is effectively shut down.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
A tearful Nancy Iskander told jurors that she was crossing a road when she saw her two older sons disappear as a white speeding Mercedes plowed through the crosswalk.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
There are now about 10,000, and industry leaders are concerned more could disappear as prices rise.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Her ability to disappear into characters is what has made her one of the most versatile actors working today, starring in action movies and rom-coms, dramas and musicals, psychological thrillers and animated pictures.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
I turned just in time to see Thea’s heels disappear through the low door.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
