believe to be missing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "believe to be missing" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to express a belief regarding something that is absent, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "I believe the document to be missing from the files."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

One person has died and two people are believe to be missing due to severe weather in the Northern Territories.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Earlier reports said 600 people were believed to be missing.

Independent

Four other people are believed to be missing at sea, although fatalities have not been confirmed.

The Guardian

Two Sony handheld games consoles were also taken, and credit cards were believed to be missing.

The Guardian

Six or seven other marines are believed to be missing there.

The New York Times

There were also fears for seven fishermen believed to be missing at sea.

Independent

In a light rain, divers continued the painstaking search for the bodies of the eight people believed to be missing.

The New York Times

Here is this Magritte that's been believed to be missing, that was clearly a large and important work for him at one point in time".

The Guardian - Arts

But it appeared that the 48 people who were believed to be missing on Monday night — and were feared dead — had been found.

The New York Times

By late Thursday, with cries for help still coming from beneath the rock, police had recovered 30 bodies and up to 100 people were believed to be missing.

The New York Times

In the town centre, emergency workers used mechanical diggers and bulldozers to search for bodies, with up to 10 people still believed to be missing under the debris.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing something that is thought to be absent, prefer grammatically correct phrases such as "believed to be missing" or "thought to be missing".

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "believe to be missing" as it is not grammatically correct. Instead, opt for "believed to be missing" or "thought to be missing".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "believe to be missing" is an incorrect form attempting to convey a state of being absent based on an assumption. The correct grammatical construction should be "believed to be missing". Ludwig AI confirms this by identifying the phrase as grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "believe to be missing" is identified by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "believed to be missing". This analysis shows that while the intention is to express a supposition about something's absence, the phrasing needs adjustment to meet standard English grammar. Related options include "thought to be lost" or "presumed to be absent". Though the correct form can appear in neutral contexts like news reporting, maintaining proper grammatical form is essential for clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thought to be lost

Replaces "believe" with "thought", emphasizing a consideration rather than a firm conviction.

presumed to be absent

Uses "presumed" for a more formal tone, highlighting an assumption based on available evidence.

suspected of being gone

Employs "suspected" to indicate a possibility of absence without certainty.

considered as missing

Rephrases the verb "believe" to "considered" suggesting that the missing state is the result of a formal consideration.

deemed to be lost

Uses "deemed" to imply a judgment or official determination of being lost.

assumed to be not present

Replaces "missing" with a more descriptive "not present", conveying a similar meaning with different wording.

understood to be gone

Replaces "believe" with "understood" suggesting a mutual agreement.

reputed to be missing

Employs "reputed" to indicate that the missing status is based on hearsay or general opinion.

reported as missing

Uses "reported" indicating that this has been declared to authorities or in the media.

alleged to be missing

Employs "alleged" to convey that the status is claimed but not proven.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something is thought to be not present?

The grammatically correct phrasing is "believed to be missing" or "thought to be missing". Avoid "believe to be missing".

What can I say instead of "believe to be missing"?

You can use alternatives like "thought to be lost", "presumed to be absent", or "suspected of being gone" depending on the context.

Is "believe to be missing" grammatically correct?

No, "believe to be missing" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "believed to be missing".

How does the meaning change if I say "believed to be missing" instead of "believe to be missing"?

Using "believed to be missing" indicates a passive voice, where the belief is held by an unspecified group. "Believe to be missing" is grammatically incorrect and doesn't convey a clear meaning.