disappear
gb/dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ/ us/dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ/
A2
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Stop being visible
To go away so that you cannot be seen anymore.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] disappears
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'disappear' with 'leave'. 'Disappear' focuses on no longer being visible, not just going away.
Synonyms
vanish (Slightly more dramatic or sudden in tone than 'disappear'.)
Antonyms
appear (Means to become visible, the opposite of disappearing.)
Collocations
suddenly disappear
|completely disappear
|disappear from view
|make something disappear
Themes
daily life
|perception
|core_vocabulary
|space
Examples
- The sun disappeared behind the clouds.
- She disappeared into the crowd before I could say goodbye.
- The magician made the coin disappear.
- The cat disappeared under the bed when it heard the noise.
- The plane disappeared from radar during the storm.
Learner examples
- The dog disappeared in the park.
- My phone disappeared from the table.
- The boy disappeared into the house.
- The moon disappeared behind the hill.
Verb
B1
action
2
Stop existing or being present
To stop existing or to not be in a place anymore.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] disappears
Common mistake:
Learners may use 'finish' instead of 'disappear', but 'finish' refers to completing an action, not ceasing to exist.
Synonyms
vanish (Can also mean to stop existing, often suddenly.)
Antonyms
persist (Means to continue to exist over time.)
Collocations
disappear forever
|resources disappear
|opportunity disappears
Themes
daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Many jobs have disappeared due to automation.
- The tradition has almost disappeared in modern society.
- All the cookies disappeared within minutes.
- Her smile disappeared when she heard the bad news.
Learner examples
- Old buildings have disappeared from the city.
- The snow will disappear in spring.
- Many animals disappear when forests are cut down.
Verb
informal
B1
action
3
Leave secretly or unexpectedly
To go away suddenly without telling anyone.
Usage pattern:
[someone] disappears [from somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with simply 'go', but 'disappear' here adds secrecy or suddenness.
Synonyms
slip away (Suggests quietly leaving without being noticed.)
Antonyms
arrive (Means to come to a place, opposite of leaving.)
Collocations
suddenly disappear
|disappear without a trace
Themes
daily life
|crime
|core_vocabulary
|communication
Examples
- He disappeared from the party without saying goodbye.
- The suspect disappeared before the police arrived.
- My friend disappeared for a week with no explanation.
Learner examples
- She disappeared from school yesterday.
- My brother disappeared from the room suddenly.
- The man disappeared before I could talk to him.
Grammar
Dictionary form
disappear
IPA
GB/dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ/
US/dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
dis - ap - pear (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (pear)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: disappear
- 3rd Person Singular: disappears
- Present Participle: disappearing
- Past: disappeared
Word family
Forms
disappears
verb
disappearing
verb
disappeared
verb
Core family
Related words
reappear
verb
reappearance
noun
Advanced or less common
apparent
adjective B1
apparently
adverb B1
Expressions
disappear into thin air
1/dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ ˈɪntu θˈɪn ˈɛɹ/
idiom
Vanish completely without explanation
To go away completely and mysteriously, as if by magic.
Examples
- The documents seemed to disappear into thin air.
- My keys have disappeared into thin air; I can't find them anywhere.
disappear without a trace
1/dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ wɪðˈaʊt ə tɹˈeɪs/
idiom
Vanish leaving no evidence behind
To go away so that nothing is left and no one knows where you are.
Examples
- The boat disappeared without a trace in the storm.
- He disappeared without a trace after the meeting.
make something disappear
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmθɪŋ dˌɪsəpˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
Cause something to vanish or be gone
To cause something to go away so it cannot be seen or found.
Examples
- The magician made the rabbit disappear.
- Please make this mess disappear before guests arrive.