missing

American  

[mis-ing] / ˈmɪs ɪŋ /

adjective

1. absent, not found, or lost.

   a missing person.

2. lacking.

   Something is missing in this relationship.

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idioms

1. go missing, to disappear; become lost.

   My keys have gone missing again.

missing British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of missing

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

Example Sentences

The environment is simply too uncertain for anyone to conclude that they must buy stocks for fear of missing out.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

"Within the symbiosis project, we've been steadily sequencing genomes for several years, but several key gaps remained. In this study, we were able to fill these missing puzzle pieces," confirms Sanchez.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

It’s been only a couple of months since the death of Catherine O’Hara, your “Schitt’s Creek” co-star, and audiences are still missing her tremendously.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The U.K. drugmaker reported mixed results from three late-stage studies of the treatment, with two pediatric studies hitting their objectives and one in adults missing it, Bank of America says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

“You’re missing two,” I said, reaching over to snag a pen off my desk.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• away
• lost
• removed