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Meaning & use

missing

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈmɪs.ɪŋ/
US/ˈmɪs.ɪŋ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Not in the place where it should be and impossible to find.

    Grammar: Works after a verb or before a noun: the keys are missing; a missing page.

    Patterns

    • go missing
    • be missing from something

    My phone is missing from my bag.

    The missing pages were found under the desk.

    Two books have gone missing from the library.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Describing a person whose whereabouts are unknown, often with fear for their safety.

    Grammar: Often appears in news reports.

    Patterns

    • a missing person
    • missing since a time

    Police are searching for a missing child.

    The hikers were reported missing on Friday.

    The missing man was found safe.

  3. adjectiveafter a verb

    Lacking something that is needed to make a whole.

    Grammar: Often used with from: the sauce is missing salt.

    Patterns

    • missing something
    • missing from something

    The recipe is missing one ingredient.

    The report is missing a conclusion.

    There is a piece missing from the puzzle.

Common combinations

go missing
Several parcels have gone missing.
missing person
A missing person report was filed.
missing link
The fossil was called the missing link.
missing piece
I found the missing piece of the puzzle.
missing in action
The pilot was declared missing in action.

Synonyms and how they differ

lost
Lost suggests you do not know where something is, while missing suggests it should be there.
absent
Absent describes someone not present at an event.
gone
Gone is casual and means no longer there.
unaccounted for
Unaccounted for is formal and common in official reports.

Opposites

presentfound

Word family

miss verb
to fail to hit or to long for
misses verb
third person form of miss
missed adjective
not caught or noticed
missing link noun
a lacking piece of evidence or step

Commonly confused: missing or lost?

missing vs lost

A person who is lost cannot find their way. A person who is missing cannot be found.

Practice

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