missing

[mis-ing]

adjective

1. absent, not found, or lost.

   a missing person.

2. lacking.

   Something is missing in this relationship.

missing

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of missing¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go missing, to disappear; become lost.

   My keys have gone missing again.

Example Sentences

“We have not located any survivors,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said Saturday evening, adding that it was “safe to say” the 16 missing people had died.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A Canadian official said if anything was missing from the cargo, it could delay construction on the base by a year, until the next sealift.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At least 12 have died in the conflict and 16 remain missing.

Read more on BBC

Orchestrating it all was interim coach Tim Skipper, who has his team playing with a focus and vitality that were clearly missing under DeShaun Foster.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Recovery teams are still clinging to hope of finding any of the missing alive, but assume the missing are deceased, said Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• away 
• lost 
• removed