If something is missing, it is not in its usual place, and you cannot find it.
It was only an hour or so later that I discovered that my gun was missing.
The playing cards had gone missing.
Synonyms: lost, misplaced, not present, gone More Synonyms of missing
2. adjective
If a part of something is missing, it has been removed or has come off, and has not been replaced.
Three buttons were missing from his shirt.
3. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you say that something is missing, you mean that it has not been included, and you think that it should have been.
What is missing, however, is an internal, artistic cohesion.
She had given me an incomplete list. One name was missing from it.
Synonyms: absent, lacking, left out, not present More Synonyms of missing
4. adjective
Someone who is missing cannot be found, and it is not known whether they are alive or dead.
Five people died in the explosion, and one person is still missing.
See missing in action
missing in British English
(ˈmɪsɪŋ)
adjective
1.
not present; absent or lost
2.
not able to be traced and not known to be dead
nine men were missing after the attack
3. go missing
missing in American English
(ˈmɪsɪŋ)
adjective
absent; lost; lacking; specif., absent after combat, but not definitely known to be dead or taken prisoner
More idioms containing
missing
without missing a beat
Examples of 'missing' in a sentence
missing
Cops were still treating her as a missing person.
The Sun (2016)
Six people were missing, presumed dead.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Last night rescuers were battling to find at least 20 still missing.
The Sun (2017)
She said it was the second time her mother had filed a missing person report when she failed to turn up at home.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Although it is currently a missing persons inquiry, we have given it the same resources as a major investigation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Luck finds a missing ticket.
The Sun (2016)
And yet... and yet... there is something missing.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Some remain missing, presumed dead, beneath rubble.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
AN 11,000 reward is being offered to find a missing dog whose brother still waits for him two years on.
The Sun (2016)
Yet some people who have had their passport go missing say the Passport Office shows a cavalier attitude to the problem.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The first viewer to ring in and name the missing person wins a day in a spa.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They will use something like a missing dog to draw them in.
The Sun (2013)
Senior officers admitted that kit was going missing.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Monument has looked hard for your missing cash but still cannot find it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Police asked the public to report missing persons.
The Sun (2012)
His missing left hand still tormented him more than did his injured knees or feet.
Len Deighton Bomber
He was a missing person for four days until the police finally established his identity.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He said court battles between parties who want a missing person declared dead and those who do not are common.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Which of the rafters is missing, presumed dead?
The Sun (2009)
You can't put your finger on it but you know there is something missing today.
The Sun (2015)
More than 100,000 are thought to be dead or missing.
The Sun (2008)
But something was missing, which left him restless.
Christianity Today (2000)
It'll make up for yours going missing.
Paige, Frances The Glasgow Girls (1994)
Two were missing, presumed dead.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A terminally ill mother has appealed for help to find her missing son's body before she dies.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
As the known number of dead mounted, rescue teams raced to find missing brothers, fathers and daughters.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
missing
British English: missing /ˈmɪsɪŋ/ ADJECTIVE
If someone or something is missing or has gone missing, they are not where you expect them to be, and you cannot find them.
His wallet was missing.
American English: missing
Arabic: مَفْقُودٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: perdido
Chinese: 失踪的
Croatian: nestao
Czech: pohřešovaný
Danish: manglende
Dutch: verdwenen
European Spanish: desaparecido perdido
Finnish: kadonnut
French: manquant
German: verschwunden
Greek: αγνοούμενος
Italian: scomparso
Japanese: あるべき所にない
Korean: 못 찾고 있는
Norwegian: savnet
Polish: brakujący
European Portuguese: perdido
Romanian: lipsă
Russian: отсутствующий
Latin American Spanish: desaparecido
Swedish: försvunnen
Thai: ซึ่งหายไป
Turkish: kayıp
Ukrainian: зниклий
Vietnamese: mất tích
Chinese translation of 'missing'
missing
(ˈmɪsɪŋ)
adj
(= absent, lost)
[person]失踪(蹤)的 (shīzōng de)
[object]丢(丟)失的 (diūshī de)
to go missing不知去向 (bù zhī qùxiàng)
missing person失踪(蹤)人员(員) (shīzōng rényuán)
missing in action作战(戰)中失踪(蹤) (zuòzhàn zhōng shīzōng)
miss
(mɪs)
vt
(= fail to hit) 未击(擊)中 (wèi jīzhòng)
⇒ She threw an ashtray across the room, narrowly missing my head.她从房间那端扔过来一只烟灰缸，差点击中我的头。 (Tā cóng fángjiān nàduān rēng guòlái yī zhī yānhuīgāng, chàdiǎn jīzhòng wǒ de tóu.)
(Sport)[shot, penalty]打偏 (dǎpiān)
⇒ He scored four goals but missed a penalty.他进了4个球，却踢偏了1个点球。 (Tā jìnle sì gè qiú, què tīpiān le yī gè diǎnqiú.)
(= fail to catch)[train, bus, plane]错(錯)过(過) (cuòguò)
⇒ Daniel nearly missed his flight.丹尼尔差点错过他的航班。 (Dānní'ěr chàdiǎn cuòguò tā de hángbān.)
(= notice loss of)[money etc]发(發)觉(覺)丢(丟)失 (fājué diūshī)
⇒ He didn't miss his wallet until he was on the plane.直到上了飞机他才发觉丢失了钱包。 (Zhídào shàngle fēijī tā cái fājué diūshīle qiánbāo.)
(= fail to notice) 忽视(視) (hūshì)
⇒ Captain Cobbins was an experienced officer and didn't miss much.科宾斯上尉是个有经验的军官，不会忽视太多东西。 (Kēbīnsī shàngwèi shì gè yǒu jīngyàn de jūnguān, bù huì hūshì tài duō dōngxi.)
(= feel the absence of)[person, thing]想念 (xiǎngniàn)
⇒ Did you miss me?你想念我吗？ (Nǐ xiǎngniàn wǒ ma?)
⇒ If I moved into a flat I'd really miss my garden.如果我搬到公寓去住，我肯定会很想念我的花园。 (Rúguǒ wǒ bān dào gōngyù qù zhù, wǒ kěndìng huì hěn xiǎngniàn wǒ de huāyuán.)
(= fail to take)[chance, opportunity]错(錯)过(過) (cuòguò)
⇒ It was too good an opportunity to miss.这个机会好得不容错过。 (Zhège jīhuì hǎo de bù róng cuò guò.)
(= fail to attend)[class, meeting]缺席 (quēxí)
⇒ I couldn't miss a departmental meeting.系里开会我不可以缺席。 (Xìli kāihuì wǒ bù kěyǐ quēxí.)
vi
(= fail to hit)[person]没(沒)打中 (méi dǎzhòng)
⇒ She threw her plate at his head and missed.她把盘子朝他的头扔去，但没打中。 (Tā bǎ pánzi cháo tā de tóu rēng qù, dàn méi dǎzhòng.)
n(c)
(= failure to hit) 击(擊)不中 (jī bù zhòng)
⇒ After more misses, they shot the lion in the chest.又有几次没击中后，他们射中了狮子的胸部。 (Yòu yǒu jǐ cì méi jīzhòng hòu, tāmen shèzhòngle shīzi de xiōngbù.)
(Sport) 失误(誤) (shīwù) (次, cì)
⇒ Striker Marcus Smith's miss cost them the match.前锋马库斯·史密斯的失误使他们输掉了这场比赛。 (Qiánfēng Mǎkùsī Shǐmìsī de shīwù shǐ tāmen shūdiàole zhè chǎng bǐsài.)
to just miss sth刚(剛)好错(錯)过(過)某事 (gānghǎo cuòguò mǒushì)
you can't miss it你不会(會)找不到 (nǐ bù huì zhǎo bù dào)
to miss the point没(沒)领(領)会(會)要点(點) (méi lǐnghuì yàodiǎn)
his shirt was missing a button (inf) 他的衬(襯)衫少了一粒纽(紐)扣(釦) (tā de chènshān shǎole yī lì niǔkòu)
to give sth a miss (Brit, inf) 避开(開)某事 (bìkāi mǒushì)
All related terms of 'missing'
miss
( fail to hit ) 未击(擊)中 wèi jīzhòng ⇒ She threw an ashtray across the room, narrowly missing my head. → 她从房间那端扔过来一只烟灰缸，差点击中我的头。 Tā cóng fángjiān nàduān rēng guòlái yī zhī yānhuīgāng, chàdiǎn jīzhòng wǒ de tóu.
missing person
失踪(蹤)人员(員) shīzōng rényuán
to go missing
不知去向 bù zhī qùxiàng
missing in action
作战(戰)中失踪(蹤) zuòzhàn zhōng shīzōng
his shirt was missing a button
( inf ) 他的衬(襯)衫少了一粒纽(紐)扣(釦) tā de chènshān shǎole yī lì niǔkòu
killed/missing/wounded in action
( Mil ) 在战(戰)斗(鬥)中阵(陣)亡/失踪(蹤)/受伤(傷) zài zhàndòu zhōng zhènwáng/shīzōng/shòushāng
miss out
( accidentally ) 遗(遺)漏 yílòu ⇒ It's easy to miss out a comma when you're writing quickly. → 在你飞快地书写的时候很容易会遗漏一个逗号。 Zài nǐ fēikuài de shūxiě de shíhou hěn róngyì huì yílòu yī gè dòuhào. [ 美 = leave out ]
miss out on
( opportunity, fun ) 错(錯)过(過) cuòguò
1 (adjective)
Definition
not in its proper or usual place and unable to be found
The playing cards were missing.
Synonyms
lost
a lost book
misplaced
a misplaced wallet
not present
gone
He's already been gone four hours!
left behind
astray
unaccounted for
About £50 million from the robbery is still unaccounted for.
mislaid
nowhere to be found
2 (adjective)
Definition
not included in something although it perhaps should have been
One name was missing from the list.
Synonyms
absent
He has been absent from his desk for two weeks.
lacking
Why was military intelligence so lacking?
left out
not present
wanting in
not to be found in
Opposites
present,
there
,
here
,
accounted for
,
to hand
,
on hand
,
at hand
,
in attendance
Additional synonyms
in the sense of gone
Definition
no longer present or no longer in existence
He's already been gone four hours!
Synonyms
missing,
lost,
away,
vanished,
absent,
astray
in the sense of lacking
Why was military intelligence so lacking?
Synonyms
deficient,
wanting,
needing,
missing,
inadequate,
minus (informal),
flawed,
impaired,
sans (archaic)
in the sense of misplaced
Definition
put in the wrong place
a misplaced wallet
Synonyms
lost,
missing,
mislaid,
nowhere to be found
Synonyms of 'missing'
missing
Explore 'missing' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of unaccounted for
Definition
unable to be found or traced
About £50 million from the robbery is still unaccounted for.