# vanish

/ˈvænɪʃ/ (US) · /vˈænɪʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vanish
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to disappear

verb · CEFR B2

to disappear suddenly and completely so that you cannot see it anymore.

For teachers: to pass out of sight, especially quickly; to cease to exist or be present.

- The magician made the rabbit vanish into thin air.
- As the sun rose higher, the morning mist began to vanish from the valley floor, revealing the small village below.

Usage: Intransitive; does not take a direct object.

### 2. to become zero

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to become equal to zero.

For teachers: to take the value of zero; used of a function, polynomial, or variable.

- The equation shows that the value will vanish when x equals five.
- The derivative of the function must vanish at any local maximum or minimum point on the curve.

Usage: Used in formal mathematical proofs and descriptions.

### 3. to kidnap

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to make someone disappear, often by force or for political reasons.

For teachers: to cause someone to disappear, typically by kidnapping or extrajudicial detention for political purposes.

- During the war, many activists were vanished by the secret police.
- Human rights organisations reported that the regime had vanished dozens of journalists during the recent protests.

Usage: Transitive; takes a direct object.

### 4. a magic trick

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a magic trick where an object seems to disappear.

For teachers: a performance or illusion in which an object or person is made to appear to disappear.

- The audience gasped when the magician performed a perfect coin vanish.
- The stage magician spent years perfecting his signature vanish, ensuring the assistant was hidden before the curtain dropped.

Usage: Countable noun.

## Examples

- The magician made the rabbit vanish into thin air.
- The morning mist began to vanish as soon as the sun rose over the hills.
- In the mathematical context of a function, a value is said to vanish when it becomes zero, effectively removing its influence from the equation.

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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.