vanish

[ van-ish ]

verb (used without object)

1. to disappear from sight, especially quickly; become invisible:

   The frost vanished when the sun came out.

   Synonyms: evanesce

   Antonyms: appear

2. to go away, especially furtively or mysteriously; disappear by quick departure:

   The thief vanished in the night.

3. to disappear by ceasing to exist; come to an end:

   The pain vanished after he took an aspirin.

4. Mathematics. (of a number, quantity, or function) to become zero.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to disappear.

noun

1. Phonetics. the last part of a vowel sound when it differs noticeably in quality from the main sound, as the faint (ē) at the end of the (ā) in the pronunciation of pain.

vanish

/ ˈvænɪʃ /

verb

1. to disappear, esp suddenly or mysteriously
2. to cease to exist; fade away
3. maths to become zero

noun

1. rare.
   phonetics the second and weaker of the two vowels in a falling diphthong

Derived Forms

• ˈvanishingly, adverb
• ˈvanisher, noun

Other Words From

• vanish·er noun
• vanish·ing·ly adverb
• vanish·ment noun
• non·vanish·ing adjective
• outvanish verb (used with object)
• un·vanish·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanish¹

1275–1325; Middle English vanisshen, vanissen < Middle French evaniss-, long stem of e ( s ) vanir ≪ Latin ex- ex- ¹ + vānēscere to pass away, equivalent to vān ( us ) vain + -ēscere inchoative suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanish¹

C14: vanissen, from Old French esvanir, from Latin ēvānēscere to evaporate, from ē- ex- ¹+ vānēscere to pass away, from vānus empty

Idioms and Phrases

see under into thin air .

Synonym Study

See disappear.

Example Sentences

Previously unknown papyri crop up only to vanish into private collections and out of the sight of scholars forever.

From The Daily Beast

There he claims he saw a luminous object change colors several times then vanish into the night sky.

From The Daily Beast

After losing out on the WFP backing, “I know Andrew Cuomo just thought I would vanish,” Teachout said.

From The Daily Beast

This teacher says that the wretched Soviet regime will vanish and life will return to normal.

From The Daily Beast

But what made The Beatles and The Beach Boys so spectacular vocally was that they could vanish into each other with their voices.

From The Daily Beast

And then he hung up, left the station to vanish into the murk of the rain swept night.

From Project Gutenberg

But indeed, it was useless to rub her eyes, the dwarfs did not vanish, and so she was obliged to believe that they were real.

From Project Gutenberg

He remained on his feet just long enough to see his Time Observatory dim and vanish.

From Project Gutenberg

I would have cried like a child who sees the castle he has been dreaming about vanish away as he awakens from sleep.

From Project Gutenberg

And by the same token the good Duchess has seen her hair grow white and her gaiety vanish.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• die
• die out
• dissolve
• evaporate
• fade
• melt