Synonyms of missing

missing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmi-siŋ 

1

as in lost

no longer possessed

the missing socks turned up in the dog's special hiding place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lost
• gone
• misplaced
• forgotten
• mislaid
• absent
• unknown
• irretrievable
• irrecoverable
• castaway

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• retained
• possessed
• owned
• loved
• valued
• protected
• treasured
• prized
• cherished

2

as in absent

not present or in evidence

any sense of how real people talk and act is missing from this novel

Synonyms & Similar Words

• absent
• lacking
• lost
• extinct
• wanting
• nonexistent
• vanished
• done
• inadequate
• departed
• insufficient
• sparse
• over
• obsolete
• dead
• expired
• finished
• defunct
• rare
• scarce
• perished
• uncommon
• lapsed
• passé

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• present
• active
• alive
• existent
• current
• living
• thriving
• going
• common
• apparent
• obvious
• prevailing
• prevalent
• evident
• animate
• conspicuous
• plain
• uncanceled

3

as in out

not at a certain place

our church organist is missing this morning, so we'll have to sing without her accompaniment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• out
• absent
• gone
• away
• retired
• truant
• departed
• AWOL
• abroad
• vacationing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• present
• here
• in
• participating
• attending
• accompanying

missing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of miss

1

as in skipping

to fail to attend

had to miss work for a week because of the flu

Synonyms & Similar Words

• skipping
• ignoring
• blowing off
• playing hooky
• cutting
• neglecting
• absenting oneself
• passing over

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• attending
• showing up (for)

2

as in misunderstanding

to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of

I think you're missing the point

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misunderstanding
• misreading
• mistaking
• misinterpreting
• misconstruing
• misperceiving
• misapprehending
• misknowing
• misjudging
• misconceiving
• misdeeming
• mishearing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• getting
• knowing
• seeing
• understanding
• catching
• seizing
• grasping
• appreciating
• perceiving
• penetrating
• apprehending
• comprehending
• taking in
• making out
• conceiving
• savvying
• fathoming
• grokking

3

as in failing

to be unsuccessful

everyone knows that most of the new television series will miss and be gone before anyone notices

Synonyms & Similar Words

• failing
• collapsing
• flopping
• struggling
• folding
• bombing
• striking out
• flunking
• foundering
• falling short
• coming up empty
• declining
• falling flat
• flaming out
• tanking
• laying an egg
• crashing
• washing out
• cratering
• coming to grief
• slipping
• dying on the vine
• coming a cropper
• floundering
• crumbling
• falling on one's face
• slumping
• waning
• sinking
• skidding
• misfiring
• going under
• miscarrying
• imploding
• self-destructing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• going
• succeeding
• delivering
• clicking
• working out
• going over
• coming off
• cooking
• thriving
• flourishing
• prospering
• winning
• panning out
• prevailing
• triumphing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of missing

Adjective

About 900 workers remain missing, while specialized rescue teams from India, China and the United States are involved in efforts to reach those trapped in the tunnels. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Across the border in Tibet, China’s official toll has ‌held steady since Sunday at 16 dead and 546 missing. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026

Verb

Once officers connected the missing girl with the dog that had been found near the recreation center, a massive law enforcement search began. — Yana Johnson, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026

Ayala said one of the bullets struck Fernanda in the throat, missing her vocal cords and jugular vein. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026