disappearance
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of disappearance
Explanation
A disappearance occurs when something vanishes from sight. The disappearance of the stars behind the clouds makes it a bad night for watching a meteor shower. While this word is often used when something's not visible, you can also use it for something that dies out or ceases to exist, like the disappearance of a particular animal species that's gone extinct or even disappearance of cursive writing in schools. In news stories, the word frequently refers to a crime involving a missing person: "The disappearance of his neighbor was very mysterious."
Vocabulary lists containing disappearance
Buzzwords for National Honey Bee Day
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Week 3: Investigations
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is reshaping a decades-old belief about the disappearance of Hawaiʻi's native waterbirds.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
An analysis of Back's online activity also matches up with that of Satoshi's disappearance shortly after Bitcoin's white paper - the manifesto outlining its philosophy - was published online.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
On Thursday, a United Nations committee concluded that Mexico’s disappearance crisis constituted “crimes against humanity” and took what it called the “exceptional step” of forwarding the matter to the General Assembly.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
The disappearance was also starting to make local news.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Everybody questioned Snowbell closely, but the cat insisted he knew nothing about Margalo’s disappearance.
From "Stuart Little" by E.B. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
