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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

disappearance

dih-suh-PEER-ruhns

Disappearance (noun) means the act or fact of vanishing or going missing. Example: “Police are investigating the disappearance of the hiker.”

noun
1
The act or fact of vanishing or going missing.
"Police are investigating the disappearance of the hiker."
"The sudden disappearance of the company's CEO shocked investors."

How to Use Disappearance

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe event of someone or something vanishing or going missing.

Common pairings
mysterious disappearance sudden disappearance report a disappearance

Word Forms

disappearances plural

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Police are investigating the _____ of the hiker.

Etymology

From disappear + -ance.

Related Words

Rhymes for disappearance

See all rhymes for disappearance →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “disappearance” mean?

The word “disappearance” means the act or fact of vanishing or going missing. In plain terms, the event of someone or something vanishing or going missing.

How do you pronounce “disappearance”?

“Disappearance” is pronounced dih-suh-PEER-ruhns (/dɪsəˈpɪəɹəns/ in IPA).

How do you use “disappearance” in a sentence?

Here is “disappearance” used in a sentence: “Police are investigating the disappearance of the hiker.”

What part of speech is “disappearance”?

“Disappearance” is a noun.

Is “disappearance” a common word?

“Disappearance” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

What is the difference between "disappearance" and "loss"?

"Disappearance" specifically refers to the act of vanishing or going missing, often with an element of mystery about how or why it happened, while "loss" is broader and can describe something being gone for many ordinary reasons, including being misplaced or destroyed. A disappearance often implies the cause is unknown or unexplained.

Is "disappearance" used for people as well as objects?

Yes, "disappearance" applies equally to people going missing, such as an unexplained disappearance investigated by police, and to objects, species, or even abstract things like customs or traditions vanishing over time.

What is the verb form of "disappearance"?

The corresponding verb is "disappear," meaning to vanish or go missing, while "disappearance" is the noun describing the act or fact of that vanishing.

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