appeared to be missing

USAGE SUMMARY

"appeared to be missing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about a person or thing that is not present but was expected. Here is an example: The student's homework assignment appeared to be missing.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This was particularly true in the UK and Denmark, whereas in Norway and Sweden stage appeared to be missing more completely at random, the prognosis for women with missing stage being closer to those with known stage, leading to smaller changes in stage-specific survival following imputation (White et al, 2011).

British Journal of Cancer

Only her keys appeared to be missing.

The New York Times

TCK and PCK developed, considering technology as a learning tool (TPK) appeared to be missing.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

No weapons appeared to be missing from the car, KHBS reported.

The Washington Post

A few days ago, a frantic search ensued when one child appeared to be missing from the Reagan wing.

The Washington Post

It said the report was delayed because documents relating to its emerging-markets business appeared to be missing.

The New York Times

Men between the ages of twenty-five and forty-five appeared to be missing from the city.

The New Yorker

Mark's packing list ought to have warned me: it appeared to be missing a couple of pages.

The Guardian - Travel

They saw that a piece of the rear seat, separating the car's cabin from its trunk, appeared to be missing.

The New York Times

These changes however appeared to be missing in A431-Vect cells in which Dsg3 expression remained low and little pERM signal was seen.

Nature

A second video also showed signs of intentional blurring, and a third appeared to be missing as much as 20 seconds that, Chavez said, probably were deleted.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing data, use "appeared to be missing completely at random" to indicate missing values that don't follow a discernible pattern.

Common error

Avoid using "appeared to be missing" when you have concrete evidence that something is indeed missing. In such cases, stronger verbs like "was" or "is" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appeared to be missing" functions as a verb phrase indicating a state of absence or lack, perceived through observation or initial assessment. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is usable in written English to describe a person or thing that is not present but was expected.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

42%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "appeared to be missing" is a versatile verb phrase used to express the perceived absence of something or someone, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Its grammatical structure is correct, and it finds frequent application across various contexts, especially in News & Media and Scientific domains. As indicated by Ludwig's analysis, it suggests an observation or tentative conclusion rather than a confirmed fact. When writing, be mindful of overusing it when certainty exists and consider alternatives such as "was noticeably absent" for formal contexts. In conclusion, "appeared to be missing" is a reliable option for expressing the idea that something expected isn't present, but it’s important to use it judiciously and consider the specific context to ensure accuracy and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seemed to be absent

Replaces "appeared" with "seemed", implying a slightly weaker perception of absence.

seemed to be lost

Substitutes "missing" with "lost", suggesting something is misplaced rather than simply absent.

appeared to be lacking

Replaces "missing" with "lacking", indicating a deficiency or insufficiency.

was apparently gone

Uses "apparently gone" instead of "appeared to be missing", focusing on the evident state of being gone.

seemed to have vanished

Emphasizes a sudden or mysterious disappearance.

was noticeably absent

Highlights that the absence was easily observed.

was conspicuously absent

Indicates that the absence was very obvious or striking.

seemed to be nowhere to be found

Conveys that something could not be located after a search.

gave the impression of being gone

Implies a subjective feeling that something was not there.

appeared to be deficient

Highlights that the item was not found complete, some parts or characteristic of it may be gone.

FAQs

How can I use "appeared to be missing" in a sentence?

Use "appeared to be missing" to indicate something expected was not present, based on observation or initial assessment. For example, "The key "seemed to be missing" from the lock" suggests an initial observation, not a conclusive fact.

What's a more formal alternative to "appeared to be missing"?

In formal contexts, consider "was noticeably absent" or "was conspicuously absent". These alternatives offer a more professional tone than "appeared to be missing".

How does "appeared to be missing" differ from "was missing"?

"Appeared to be missing" implies an initial assessment based on available information. "Was missing" suggests a confirmed state of absence, often after investigation. The former is tentative, while the latter is more definitive.

What can I say instead of "appeared to be missing" when discussing data?

When discussing data, use phrases like "seemed to be absent" or "was not present". Alternatively, specify the type of missingness: "data appeared to be missing completely at random".