disappeared
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to have gone somewhere where you cannot be seen or found.
v.the past tense of the intransitive verb 'disappear', indicating a cessation of visibility or presence.
Simple“The cat disappeared into the bushes as soon as it saw the dog.”
In context“The small boat disappeared from the radar screen during the height of the storm, causing immediate concern among the coast guard crew.”
PitfallThe sun was disappeared behind the clouds. The sun disappeared behind the clouds.The verb 'disappear' is intransitive and does not take a passive form when describing natural events.
- 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describes a person who was taken away and hidden by the police or military for political reasons.
adj.referring to a person who has been a victim of forced disappearance, typically by state actors for political suppression.
Simple“The families of the disappeared people are still looking for the truth.”
In context“Human rights organisations continue to advocate for the families of the disappeared prisoners, demanding a full investigation into the events of the previous decade.”
UsageOften used in the context of human rights reports or political history.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who has been taken away and hidden for political reasons.
n.a person who has been subjected to forced disappearance; a translation of the Spanish term 'desaparecido'.
Simple“The monument was built to remember the disappeared from the civil war.”
In context“The legal framework was specifically designed to address the status of the disappeared and provide closure for their surviving relatives.”
UsageUsually appears as 'the disappeared' to refer to a group of people.
Synonymsvictimmissing person