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

Athena’s stepmother, Elizabeth Ashley Strand, talked about the evening Athena went missing. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026

Ashley Strand was asked to recall the day Athena went missing. —Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026

At 23, police stopped her for going over 100 miles per hour down the Pacific Coast Highway in a Ferrari 275 GTB4—the same make and model as a missing car that belonged to Sharon Tate, who had recently been murdered by Charles Manson’s followers. —Jennifer Cannon, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026

Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a missing, at-risk person. —Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 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