missing

adjective

miss·​ing ˈmi-siŋ 

1

: absent

a missing tooth

also : lost

my keys are missing

—sometimes used in the phrase go missing

My keys have gone missing.

2

: needed or expected but not included

It's a good sauce, but something is missing.

Synonyms of missing

• lost
• gone
• misplaced

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

Sort clothing, shoes, and accessories according to an organization’s needs, and discard anything that’s stained, ripped, faded, or has holes, broken zippers, or missing buttons. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2026

The California Highway Patrol issued a silver alert early Sunday for a missing San Francisco man. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026

As an episodic series, across the first several episodes, Anna investigates a murder, a bank robbery and a missing girl. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

In Season 2, a boxer on the rise named Danny Moon (Jin Ha) hires Sugar to find his missing, wayward brother, Ji-Seok (Raymond Lee). — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing missing

• missing in action
• missing link
• missing person report
• someone doesn't know what he/she is missing

Rhymes for missing

• hissing
• kissing
• characterising
• dismissing
• nipissing
• reminiscing

Kids Definition

missing

adjective

miss·​ing ˈmis-iŋ 

: absent entry 1 sense 1, lost

missing persons

missing in action