missing

1 of 2

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

2 of 2

present participle of miss entry 1

Synonyms of missing

Adjective

• lost
• gone
• misplaced

Examples of 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

Adjective

Mubarak Bekheit, an aid worker in Darfur, told the AP by phone on Wednesday that many people remained missing and some bodies had yet to be recovered from homes in the area after the strike hit a civilian neighborhood. — Yassir Abdalla, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office is looking for an 80-year-old missing woman. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026

The body found in a Turlock Irrigation District canal Saturday was identified as a 72-year-old missing woman, Ceres police said Tuesday. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Birchfield, a previously missing man whose body was discovered buried underneath Morley's home, according to the outlet. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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