vanish

[ van-ish ]

verb (used without object)

1. to disappear from sight, especially quickly; become invisible:

   The frost vanished when the sun came out.

   Synonyms: evanesce

   Antonyms: appear

2. to go away, especially furtively or mysteriously; disappear by quick departure:

   The thief vanished in the night.

3. to disappear by ceasing to exist; come to an end:

   The pain vanished after he took an aspirin.

4. Mathematics. (of a number, quantity, or function) to become zero.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to disappear.

noun

1. Phonetics. the last part of a vowel sound when it differs noticeably in quality from the main sound, as the faint (ē) at the end of the (ā) in the pronunciation of pain.

vanish

/ ˈvænɪʃ /

verb

1. to disappear, esp suddenly or mysteriously
2. to cease to exist; fade away
3. maths to become zero

noun

1. rare.
   phonetics the second and weaker of the two vowels in a falling diphthong

Derived Forms

• ˈvanishingly, adverb
• ˈvanisher, noun

Other Words From

• vanish·er noun
• vanish·ing·ly adverb
• vanish·ment noun
• non·vanish·ing adjective
• outvanish verb (used with object)
• un·vanish·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanish¹

1275–1325; Middle English vanisshen, vanissen < Middle French evaniss-, long stem of e ( s ) vanir ≪ Latin ex- ex- ¹ + vānēscere to pass away, equivalent to vān ( us ) vain + -ēscere inchoative suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanish¹

C14: vanissen, from Old French esvanir, from Latin ēvānēscere to evaporate, from ē- ex- ¹+ vānēscere to pass away, from vānus empty

Idioms and Phrases

see under into thin air .

Synonym Study

See disappear.

Example Sentences

The earliest votes counted in the 45th Congressional District showed Steel leading by more than 5 percentage points, but that lead vanished as elections officials counted ballots deposited in drop boxes and sent by mail.

From Los Angeles Times

She had accused him of domestic abuse before she vanished but local police had taken no action.

From BBC

He has a line in the middle of the play that reads, “In an instant, all will vanish and we’ll be alone once more in the midst of nothingness.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the mountains of the state, a family of 17 simply vanished last month.

From Los Angeles Times

Lindsay had been strangled - likely killed on the night she vanished and her body dumped.

From BBC

Related Words

• die
• die out
• dissolve
• evaporate
• fade
• melt