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

The pair first married in April 2022, but renewed their vows in August 2025, in an intimate New York ceremony, where Brooklyn Beckham's parents were notably missing. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Despite its official support for the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, France has been largely missing in action in the South Caucasus, especially since the end of the 2020 Karabakh War. — Kamran Bokhari, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

After missing the chance to undercut Antonelli following an early stop by Mercedes, McLaren kept Norris out to build a tire advantage for the final stint. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Lewis told police at the time that $1,100 in cash was missing from a metal box in the living room. — Annalise Peterson, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026