disappearance
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of disappearance
Explanation
A disappearance occurs when something vanishes from sight. The disappearance of the stars behind the clouds makes it a bad night for watching a meteor shower. While this word is often used when something's not visible, you can also use it for something that dies out or ceases to exist, like the disappearance of a particular animal species that's gone extinct or even disappearance of cursive writing in schools. In news stories, the word frequently refers to a crime involving a missing person: "The disappearance of his neighbor was very mysterious."
Vocabulary lists containing disappearance
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Week 3: Investigations
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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.
A 41-year-old has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a man more than two years ago.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
Their disappearance has made it difficult for researchers to determine whether they are related to any animals living today.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
Casias had been an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where the first atomic bomb was developed and where nuclear weapon work continues, her family told local news outlets after her disappearance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
Before her disappearance, Casias, 53, worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where leading defensive nuclear research is conducted and where the world's first atomic weapons were developed during World War II.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
She felt as if she had stumbled upon the answer to her husband's disappearance.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
