go missing

1 of 3

phrase

chiefly British : to become lost : disappear

missing

2 of 3

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.

see also:

go missing

missing

3 of 3

present participle of miss entry 1

Synonyms of go missing

Adjective

• lost
• gone
• misplaced

Examples of go missing in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Phrase

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has established a minimum reward of $25,000 in cases where people went missing or were killed in Indian Country, part of a broader effort to address high rates of violence affecting Native American communities. — Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

The little girl went missing from her home in Bara, about 80 miles south of the capital Kathmandu, on August 16. — Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Not only is that a rare kind of intentionality, but the federal government has gone missing. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026

His solid on-base percentage and Gold Glove-caliber defense could compensate only so much for his early lack of power, a previously missing element in what the Cubs projected to be a dynamic lineup. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Phrase

1845, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing go missing

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

Rhymes for go missing

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