has gone missing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has gone missing" is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is typically used when referring to an object or person that has disappeared without explanation. For example, "The woman's dog has gone missing and the police have been notified."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Assange has gone missing.

The Washington Post

Joy, 18, has gone missing.

Independent

A fortune has gone missing.

The New York Times - Books

The report has gone missing.

The Guardian

Something has gone missing here.

The Guardian - Opinion

Joakim Noah's manic energy has gone missing.

The New York Times

Even Bob Costas has gone missing.

The New Yorker

Sure enough, the topaz has gone missing.

The New York Times

For one thing, the medal itself has gone missing.

The New Yorker

But is it just the middle that has gone missing?

The Economist

What has gone missing in the transfer across the pond?

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has gone missing" when you want to indicate that someone or something is absent and their location is unknown. This phrase often implies a sense of concern or mystery.

Common error

Avoid switching tenses mid-sentence. If you start with "has gone missing", maintain that past perfect construction throughout the description unless the timeline logically shifts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has gone missing" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect tense, indicating that an entity disappeared at some point in the past and remains absent in the present. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely accepted.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

1%

Science

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has gone missing" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression to indicate that a person or object is currently absent and their location is unknown. As Ludwig AI notes, this phrase is appropriate for a variety of contexts, particularly in news reports and everyday conversations. While alternatives like "has disappeared" or ""is missing"" exist, "has gone missing" specifically emphasizes the continuous state of being lost from a past point in time to the present. Remember to maintain consistent tense throughout your writing and to use this phrase when you want to convey a sense of concern or mystery surrounding the disappearance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has disappeared

Focuses on the act of vanishing without specifying intent or circumstance.

is missing

A more concise way of stating that someone or something cannot be found.

has vanished

Suggests a sudden and mysterious disappearance.

cannot be found

Emphasizes the inability to locate the missing person or object.

has been lost

Implies accidental misplacement rather than intentional disappearance.

is nowhere to be seen

Highlights the complete absence of the missing entity.

is unaccounted for

Indicates that the whereabouts are unknown, often in official contexts.

has strayed

Implies wandering away, especially for people or animals.

has absconded

Suggests a secretive and often unlawful departure.

has deserted

Implies abandonment of a duty or responsibility.

FAQs

How do I use "has gone missing" in a sentence?

Use "has gone missing" to describe someone or something that is currently not found. For example, "The child "has gone missing" from the park".

What's the difference between "has gone missing" and "is missing"?

"Has gone missing" implies a completed action of disappearing, while "is missing" describes the current state of being absent. "The dog "has gone missing"" suggests the dog disappeared at some point, and "the dog "is missing"" means it's currently not present.

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

You can use alternatives like "has disappeared", ""is missing"", or "cannot be found" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "went missing" instead of "has gone missing"?

Both phrases are generally correct, but they have slightly different implications. "Went missing" suggests a single event in the past, while "has gone missing" implies a state that continues from the past to the present. For example, "he "went missing" last night" versus "he "has gone missing" and still hasn't been found".