has been missing

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been missing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something has been absent for a long time. For example: "He has been missing since he went to sea 10 years ago."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

A daughter has been missing since 1982.

The New York Times

Yet something has been missing.

The Guardian - Film

My partner has been missing.

The Guardian

Only one thing has been missing.

The New York Times

The orbiter has been missing ever since.

The Washington Post

What samba has been missing: women.

The New York Times - Style

"That's what has been missing lately".

The New York Times

The diplomat has been missing since Sunday.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

She has been missed.

University of California, Berkeley

An opportunity has been missed.

The New York Times - Books

That suggests much growth has been missed.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about people, clarify the time frame. For example, use "has been missing since" followed by a date or duration to provide context.

Common error

Avoid using "is missing" when you need to emphasize the duration of the absence. Use "has been missing" to show that someone or something went missing some time ago and remains so.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been missing" primarily functions as part of the verb phrase in a sentence. It indicates a state of absence that began in the past and continues to the present. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been missing" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, to describe a state of continued absence since a past event. Predominantly found in News & Media, it conveys concern or a need for information. When employing this phrase, it's best practice to specify the time frame of the disappearance for clarity. Alternative expressions include "is currently absent" or "has disappeared". Be mindful to not confuse its usage with "is missing", which does not emphasize the duration of the absence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has disappeared

Emphasizes the act of vanishing or becoming unseen.

has been gone

Implies a state of being away for some time.

is currently absent

Focuses on the current state of being away or not present.

remains unaccounted for

Highlights the lack of explanation for someone or something's whereabouts.

is nowhere to be found

Highlights the inability to locate something or someone.

cannot be located

Emphasizes the difficulty in finding something or someone.

is not present

Directly states the absence of something or someone.

is not available

States the unavailability of something.

is lacking

Indicates the absence of a required or expected element.

is unattainable

Highlights the impossibility of reaching or obtaining something.

FAQs

How to use "has been missing" in a sentence?

You can use "has been missing" to indicate that someone or something disappeared some time ago and remains lost. For example, "The child "has been missing" since yesterday".

What can I say instead of "has been missing"?

Alternatives include "is currently absent", "has disappeared", or "is nowhere to be found", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "is missing" or "has been missing"?

"Has been missing" implies a duration of time since the disappearance. "Is missing" simply states the current state. Use "has been missing" when the duration is relevant.

What's the difference between "has been missing" and "went missing"?

"Went missing" indicates the event of disappearing, while "has been missing" emphasizes the continuing state of being lost. For example, "He "went missing" last week and "has been missing" ever since".