missing
Americanadjective
-
absent, not found, or lost.
a missing person.
-
lacking.
Something is missing in this relationship.
idioms
adjective
-
not present; absent or lost
-
not able to be traced and not known to be dead
nine men were missing after the attack
-
to become lost or disappear
Etymology
Origin of missing
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.
Andrew Haden was found dead in an office inside the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in San Diego on Wednesday, shortly after being reported missing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Sixteen people have been recovered safely, while 15 are still missing.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Over at Fitch, the feeling is that the project will almost certainly be finished in time for the Olympics, mostly because the consequences of missing that deadline are too horrible to contemplate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Pop Mart’s first-half revenue rose 24% to 17.17 billion yuan, slowing from a threefold increase a year earlier and missing analyst expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The missing puzzle piece I’d mentioned to Elliot slammed into place with a certainty and clarity that literally took my breath away.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
