disappeared

American  

[dis-uh-peerd] / ˌdɪs əˈpɪərd /

adjective

1. having vanished from sight or existence.

   Right this minute, the only thing I want to do is to find a way to recover my disappeared phone photos.

   The museum displays tools and artifacts from an almost disappeared culture, known only from one archaeological site.

2. (of a person) having vanished under suspicious or unknown circumstances.

   Family members of the disappeared persons were denied the right to any effective remedy, including the right to know the fate of their loved ones.

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noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. none the disappeared people, especially political opponents, who have vanished under suspicious or unknown circumstances, or without due process of law.

   The determination of the parents, grandparents, and—most recently—children of the disappeared is finally putting dictators, torturers, and their accomplices behind bars.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of disappear.

Etymology

Origin of disappeared

First recorded in 1400–50 as a verb: disappear ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ), and in 1640–50 as an adjective: disappear ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

However, they rose again when the post disappeared and the White House said no tankers had been escorted out of the strait.

From BBC

“It’s just—everyone disappeared when my dad got sick, or they pretended nothing was happening. And you . . .” He meets my eyes for a split second, then looks back down.

From Literature

As the water disappeared, hydrated ferrous sulfates were left behind.

From Science Daily

One major advantage, she adds, is that her sleep disorder has disappeared.

From The Wall Street Journal

More removals are likely, since the remaining military delegates include officers who have recently come under investigation or disappeared from public view.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absent
• adrift
• disoriented
• hidden
• invisible
• misplaced
• vanished