missing

adjective

miss·​ing ˈmi-siŋ How to pronounce missing (audio)
: absent
also : lost
missing in action

Examples of missing in a Sentence

The new director has provided the missing ingredient that was needed for the show's success. the missing socks turned up in the dog's special hiding place
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some of the dead and missing include campers of Camp Mystic — an all-girls, Christian summer camp — grandparents and a family of four. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 6 July 2025 Police in the Turks and Caicos Islands have discovered the body of a man while searching for a New York man who went missing while vacationing in the Caribbean late last month. Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025 To better understand the missing middle, Paulsen was part of a research team that examined rock samples from the Polar Rock Depository at The Ohio State University’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 July 2025 The body of a missing Kentucky woman and University of Kentucky Healthcare doctor was found July 3 in Alaska. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for missing

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of missing was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Missing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/missing. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

missing

adjective
miss·​ing ˈmis-iŋ How to pronounce missing (audio)
: absent entry 1 sense 1, lost
missing persons
missing in action

More from Merriam-Webster on missing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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