[go: up one dir, main page]

disappear

verb

dis·​ap·​pear ˌdis-ə-ˈpir How to pronounce disappear (audio)
disappeared; disappearing; disappears

intransitive verb

1
: to pass from view
The moon disappeared behind a cloud.
2
: to cease to be : pass out of existence or notice
dinosaurs disappeared from the earth
My keys seem to have disappeared again.

transitive verb

: to cause (someone or something) to disappear:
a
: to abduct and kill or imprison (someone, such as a political dissident) while withholding information about the person's fate
Her son was disappeared during Argentina's so-called 'Dirty War.'Associated Press
Under his repressive regime, tens of thousands of Chileans were "disappeared," tortured and killed; hundreds of thousands were forced into exile.Mandalit del Barco
Fearing that he would be kidnapped or "disappeared" in Syria under some false pretext, Mr. Omar made a video, which he posted on YouTube, to establish that he had defected.Dan Bilefsky
When early efforts of containment failed, journalists and doctors who spoke out against the threat were disappeared, these sources said.Bret Baier and Nick Givas
Orwell's novel was published in 1949 in the wake of World War II, when both fascism and socialism seemed to loom as threats to democracy, and it imagines a secretive regime that surveils its people and polices even their thoughts, disappearing anyone who rebels against the order.Jeva Lange
b
: to cause (something) to pass out of existence, possession, or view
VICE has disappeared the post from its Web site.Jenna Sauers
The … waitress disappears the debris from the floor …Catherine Cleary
After class, while waiting for Halmoni to pick me up, I devoured as many of those rainbow morsels as I could, as if disappearing them might also disappear my shame.Jennifer Hope Choi
He shares his opinion that based on his early findings, the bullets didn't come from Locke's gun, which is important because, as Lucca Quinn points out, Peter would have no reason to disappear the evidence if it exonerated Locke.Alexis Rhiannon
disappearance noun

Examples of disappear in a Sentence

The two men disappeared around the corner. The dinosaurs disappeared millions of years ago. These problems won't just disappear by themselves. He disappeared without a trace two years ago. The speaker suddenly disappeared just before the beginning of the ceremony.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The film is also an introspective interrogation of Cruise's stardom, confronting its main character with uncomfortable realities: his world is artificial, insulated, and fleeting, and his multimillion-dollar good looks could disappear in an instant. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 May 2025 Julius Randle was one of the bright spots in Game 1, but disappeared in Game 2, scoring just six points with five rebounds on 2-for-11 shooting. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025 Plaza plays a cop who Qualley has a passionate love affair with until things turn sour when her niece disappears. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 24 May 2025 Then, according to the NYPD spokesperson, the woman pulled out a pair of scissors, stabbed the man in the back, and fled down the street before disappearing into a nearby subway station. Chris Spargo, People.com, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for disappear

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disappear was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disappear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disappear. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

disappear

verb
dis·​ap·​pear ˌdis-ə-ˈpi(ə)r How to pronounce disappear (audio)
1
: to cease to be visible : pass out of sight : vanish
the moon disappeared behind a cloud
2
: to cease to be
the dinosaur disappeared ages ago
disappearance noun

More from Merriam-Webster on disappear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!