disappear
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to stop being or to go away completely.
to cease to exist or obtain; to pass away completely.
Simple“Many traditional customs are starting to disappear in the modern world.”
In context“The symptoms usually disappear within a few days of starting the antibiotic treatment, though patients must complete the full course.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to be lost or to become a missing person.
to go missing or become lost, often under mysterious or unexplained circumstances.
Simple“My keys have disappeared again, and I cannot find them anywhere.”
In context“The hiker disappeared in the dense forest, prompting a massive search and rescue operation that lasted for nearly a week.”
Synonymsgo missingvanish - 03 C1 Advanced
to be taken away by the police or government and never seen again.
to be abducted, imprisoned, or killed by government forces for political reasons. Often used transitively in this specific political context.
Simple“During the war, many people were disappeared by the secret police.”
In context“Human rights organisations have spent decades documenting the cases of those who were disappeared during the military dictatorship.”
UsageIn this sense, the verb is often used transitively ('the regime disappeared him') or as a passive participle ('the disappeared').
Usage difference disappear
From Middle English disapeeren, equivalent to dis- + appear. Displaced native Old English fordwīnan. Displaced native Old English cwincan, whose causative persists as quench (“put out (fire)”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.