disappearance
Americannoun
-
disappearances
plural
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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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.
See Examples For:
At first, the disappearance appeared to be a missing person’s case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
His book moves from odor to odor, asking what certain smells evoke and what their disappearance might mean.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
The findings may have implications that extend beyond the disappearance of Arctic sea ice itself.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
The disappearance of handicrafts, "a symbol of Mexico," would be a blow to the country's heritage, she argued.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
One of you just happens to have a vision predicting the disappearance of France’s greatest treasure.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
At first glance, these findings might seem to contradict the idea that chytrid caused the disappearances.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
"While environmental factors could have played a role, our findings most directly implicate the chytrid fungus, revealing that regional invasion of the pathogen coincided with these unexplained amphibian disappearances," Boyette said.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
As Béatrice’s amateur detective work pulls her in deeper, the strands begin to suggest a conspiracy, one marked by mysterious disappearances and the clandestine sway of the Vatican.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
The surfers' disappearances and deaths sparked widespread outrage and grief in Australia and the United States, prompting a major social media search for their bodies.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
“The police don’t care about the disappearances, but if we can stir up some public outrage, maybe that will inspire them to look into it.”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
