missing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmi-siŋ How to pronounce missing (audio)
Definition of missingnext
1
as in lost
no longer possessed the missing socks turned up in the dog's special hiding place

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2
as in absent
not present or in evidence any sense of how real people talk and act is missing from this novel

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misunderstanding
to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of I think you're missing the point

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in failing
to be unsuccessful everyone knows that most of the new television series will miss and be gone before anyone notices

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of missing
Adjective
Julie Pierre, the 21-year-old owner of Roll and Dough, which operates out of a commissary kitchen in Sunrise, took to social media after the rolls went missing, initially believing they had been stolen. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Police said the officer also closed another missing person report involving a 60-year-old man last month with a similarly false statement. — Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
Nepal’s disaster agency said the death toll had climbed to 734 with 2,498 people missing, while Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, including over a hundred Nepalis and people from over a dozen countries. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Dil Maya Lama stood weeping outside the help desk at the hospital, searching for information about her missing 26-year-old brother, a driver for a hydropower company in Rasuwa. — Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for missing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missing
  1. lost
  2. absent
  3. out
  4. skipping
  5. misunderstanding
  6. failing
  7. gone
  8. lacking
Adjective
  • By her mid 20s Meriwether was pitching an ahead-of-its-time TV series called Sluts—a kind of lost precursor to Girls—and the screenplay Fuckbuddies, which became the romantic comedy No Strings Attached.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Soto returning from an injury late in a lost season could help set a tone for next year.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lost
Adjective
  • Commissioners Steve Harrelson and Raymond Jarvis were present while Michael White, the chairman, was absent.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The effort, which had major bipartisan support, was abandoned in favor of vote pairing, an informal arrangement where an absent lawmaker coordinates with an opposing lawmaker who agrees to abstain or withhold their vote.
    — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of absent
Adjective
  • The out-of-control Cadillac then hit a guardrail, spun around and overturned.
    — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The situation comedy that defined the term aired from 1951-57 on CBS and was an was an out-of-the-box smash.
    — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of out
Verb
  • Some other markets get a 512GB model, but Samsung is skipping this in the US.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In practice, that can mean skipping alcohol for a night, taking a longer break or cutting back without going fully sober.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of skipping
Verb
  • Responding Monday to Emmanuel Acho, who criticized the idea that her ejection represented white privilege, Carrington insisted people were misunderstanding her.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The good news is that the IRS rarely charges severe penalties for honest mistakes or misunderstanding a complex tax code.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Definition of misunderstanding
Verb
  • In a statement given to the The Athletic on Wednesday, Hampshire Police confirmed that Sterling had been charged with dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Last Year The Cowboys experienced a bizarre, roller-coaster 2025 season, ultimately finishing 7-9-1 and failing to qualify for the postseason.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of failing
Adjective
  • Suddenly, photos, videos, or important documents are just… gone.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 15 May 2026
  • Room by room, the author takes us through the house, now long gone.
    — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of gone
Adjective
  • Where to Stay Ely hosts a handful of hotels and motels within town limits, but true luxury accommodations are somewhat lacking.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Which is to say quality constraints on what Paramount could conceivably dump into theaters are totally lacking.
    — Chris Lee, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of lacking

Browse Nearby Words

missiles
missing
missing out
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Cite this Entry

“Missing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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