disappearance

/ˈdɪsəˌpɪrəns/

/dɪsəˈpɪərəns/

Other forms: disappearances

A disappearance occurs when something vanishes from sight. The disappearance of the stars behind the clouds makes it a bad night for watching a meteor shower.

While this word is often used when something's not visible, you can also use it for something that dies out or ceases to exist, like the disappearance of a particular animal species that's gone extinct or even disappearance of cursive writing in schools. In news stories, the word frequently refers to a crime involving a missing person: "The disappearance of his neighbor was very mysterious."

Definitions of disappearance

1. noun

   the event of passing out of sight
   antonyms:

   appearance

   the event of coming into sight

   types:

   immersion, ingress

   (astronomy) the disappearance of a celestial body prior to an eclipse

   evanescence

   the event of fading and gradually vanishing from sight

   vanishing

   a sudden or mysterious disappearance

   fadeout, receding

   a slow or gradual disappearance

   type of:

   happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent

   an event that happens
2. noun

   gradually ceasing to be visible
   synonyms: fade

   type of:

   conclusion, ending, termination

   the act of ending something
3. noun

   ceasing to exist
   “he regretted the disappearance of Greek from school curricula”

   “what was responsible for the disappearance of the rainforest?”

   “the disappearance of resistance at very low temperatures”

   type of:

   happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent

   an event that happens
4. noun

   the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
   synonyms: disappearing

   antonyms:

   appearance

   the act of appearing in public view

   types:

   vanishing

   a sudden disappearance from sight

   type of:

   departure, going, going away, leaving

   the act of departing