# disappearing

/ˌdɪsəˈpiɹɪŋ/ (US) · /dˌɪsɐpˈiəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/disappearing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. vanishing from sight

verb · CEFR B1

going away so that you can no longer see it.

For teachers: the process of ceasing to be visible; the progressive aspect of vanishing from a physical location.

- The sun was disappearing behind the mountains as we drove home.
- The small boat was rapidly disappearing into the thick morning mist, leaving the onlookers on the pier unable to track its progress.

### 2. ceasing to exist

verb · CEFR B2

slowly stopping to exist or being lost forever.

For teachers: the gradual process of becoming extinct, lost, or no longer present in a particular environment.

- Many traditional languages are disappearing because fewer young people speak them.
- Conservationists are deeply concerned about disappearing habitats, noting that several local species have already been forced into smaller, fragmented territories.

### 3. the act of vanishing

noun · CEFR B2

the event of someone or something going away suddenly.

For teachers: the act or instance of a person or thing vanishing; used as a gerund to denote the event itself.

- The mysterious disappearing of the cookies from the jar upset the children.
- The sudden disappearing of the lead witness caused the entire legal case to collapse before the trial could even begin.

## Examples

- The sun is disappearing behind the clouds.
- Many traditional crafts are disappearing as younger generations move to cities for office work.
- The magician performed a final trick, slowly disappearing into a cloud of smoke before the stunned audience could realize he had left the stage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.