disappear
disappear
Pronunciation
disappear
/ˌdɪsəˈpɪər/
dis-: /dɪs/
ap-: /ə/
pear: /pɪər/
Word Form Variations
disappear (verb)
Simple Present (3rd person singular): disappears
Present Participle: disappearing
Simple Past: disappeared
Past Participle: disappeared
disappearance (noun)
Singular: disappearance
Plural: disappearances
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb:
Definition 1: To cease to be visible; to vanish from sight.
Synonyms: vanish, fade, evaporate, dissolve, recede
Antonyms: appear, emerge, materialize, surface, show up
Definition 2: To cease to exist or be in use; to become extinct or obsolete.
Synonyms: perish, vanish, die out, cease, end
Antonyms: originate, begin, emerge, continue, persist
Noun:
Definition 1 (disappearance): The act or an instance of no longer being visible or present.
Synonyms: vanishing, fading, evaporation, dissolution, exit
Antonyms: appearance, emergence, materialization, arrival, presence
Definition 2 (disappearance): The state of having ceased to exist or be in use.
Synonyms: extinction, demise, cessation, end, obliteration
Antonyms: origin, beginning, continuation, persistence, survival
Examples of Use
Books: "It was as if the entire city could simply disappear overnight, swallowed by the creeping desert sands." (From a fantasy novel, specific title and author not provided for generality)
Newspapers: "Concerns are growing over the increasing number of indigenous languages that could disappear within the next century if conservation efforts are not accelerated." (As reported in a national newspaper)
Online Publications: "The artist's latest installation explores themes of impermanence, with ice sculptures designed to slowly disappear over the course of the exhibition." (An online arts and culture magazine)
Film (Entertainment Medium): In a thriller, a detective exclaims, "He didn't just walk away, he made himself disappear!" (Dialogue from a film, specific title not provided for generality)
Television Series (Entertainment Medium): A news report within a show details, "The sudden disappearance of the celebrity has led to widespread speculation." (Dialogue from a television series, specific title not provided for generality)
Video Games (Entertainment Platform): A character in a mystery game might say, "The clues just seem to disappear whenever we get close to the truth." (Dialogue from a video game, specific title not provided for generality)
Podcasts (Entertainment Platform): "On today's episode, we delve into the curious disappearance of Amelia Earhart, one of aviation's enduring mysteries." (From a history podcast, July 2025)
General Public Discourse:
"My car keys always seem to disappear right when I'm in a hurry." (Heard in casual conversation)
"The old diner that used to be on this corner just seemed to disappear one day, replaced by a new apartment complex." (Shared anecdote)
"We need to make sure these traditions don't disappear with the younger generation." (Comment during a community meeting)
10 Quotes Using Disappear
"Do what you fear and fear disappears." (David Joseph Schwartz)
"Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself." (Desiderius Erasmus)
"Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish." (John F. Kennedy)
"Government programs, once launched, never disappear." (Ronald Reagan)
"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained." (Mark Twain)
"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable." (Douglas Adams)
"Four-fifths of all our troubles would disappear, if we would only sit down and keep still." (Calvin Coolidge)
"Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears." (Marcus Aurelius)
"The more you live in the present moment, the more the fear of death disappears." (Eckhart Tolle)
"If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago." (E. O. Wilson)
Etymology
The word "disappear" is a combination of two older parts: "dis-" and "appear."
"Dis-" is a Latin-based prefix that means "lack of," "not," or "do the opposite of." Think of words like "dislike" (the opposite of like) or "dishonest" (not honest).
"Appear" comes from the Old French word "aparoir" and ultimately from the Latin "apparere," meaning "to come into sight" or "to make an appearance."
So, when you put them together, "disappear" literally means "to do the opposite of appear," which perfectly captures its meaning of "to cease to be visible" or "to vanish from sight."
The first known use of "disappear" in English dates back to around 1425. At that time, it was used to mean "to vanish from sight" or "to become invisible." It essentially replaced an older English word, "disparish," which had a similar meaning and came from a French word.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Disappear
Disappear into thin air: To vanish completely and mysteriously.
Make oneself disappear: To leave without being noticed or to deliberately go into hiding.
Disappear without a trace: To vanish leaving no evidence or clues as to one's whereabouts.
The lines between... disappear: When distinctions or differences become blurred or indistinguishable.
Watch something disappear: To witness something diminish or vanish over time.
Vanish into the mists of time: To be forgotten or lost to history.
Fade into the background: To become less noticeable or prominent.
Melt away: To gradually diminish or cease to exist.
Evaporate like a dream: To quickly and completely cease to be real or present.
Become a ghost: To be so absent or overlooked that one is almost non-existent.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of disappear from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
