he went missing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he went missing" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that someone has disappeared or cannot be found, often in a serious context such as a search for a lost person. Example: "After the storm, he went missing, and search teams were deployed to find him."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Instead, he went missing.

The New York Times

He went missing in early April.

The New York Times

He went missing the next day.

The New Yorker

He went missing, they do know that.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

He went missing on 17 April.

The Guardian

He went missing in his last two national team appearances.

The New York Times

I think of him before he went missing.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Nobody questioned it until he went missing, they said.

The Guardian

As soon as he went missing they suspected he had been abducted by the police.

The New York Times

The next day he went missing and was later found dead with his wrist slashed.

The Economist

The area was under construction around the time he went missing.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he went missing" to clearly and directly indicate that someone is missing or has disappeared, especially in contexts where the cause of the disappearance is unknown or uncertain.

Common error

Avoid using "he goes missing" unless describing a recurring pattern. Use "he went missing" for a specific instance in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he went missing" functions as a statement indicating that a male person has disappeared or is currently unlocatable. Ludwig AI confirms its standard grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he went missing" is a grammatically sound and very common way to express that a male person has disappeared. Ludwig AI confirms its standard use. Primarily found in News & Media, it serves to inform about an individual's disappearance. Alternatives include "he disappeared" or "he vanished". When using the phrase, ensure the tense is appropriate for the context. The phrase is generally neutral and widely understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he disappeared

A more direct synonym, indicating a sudden and unexplained absence.

he had disappeared

Past perfect tense, emphasizing the completion of the act of disappearing.

he vanished

Implies a sudden and mysterious disappearance.

he was unaccounted for

A more formal way of saying someone is missing, often used in official reports.

he was lost

Indicates a state of being unlocatable, often implying being accidentally lost.

his whereabouts were unknown

Focuses on the lack of information about his location.

he could not be found

A literal description of the inability to locate someone.

he was nowhere to be seen

Emphasizes the absence and the inability to find him.

he absconded

Implies leaving secretly and often unlawfully.

he deserted

Suggests abandoning a duty or responsibility, leading to being missing.

FAQs

What does "he went missing" mean?

The phrase "he went missing" means that a male person has disappeared or is unaccounted for, and their whereabouts are unknown.

What can I say instead of "he went missing"?

You can use alternatives like "he disappeared", "he vanished", or "he was lost" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "he goes missing"?

While "he goes missing" is grammatically correct, it implies a recurring action. "He went missing" is used for a single past event.

What is the difference between "he went missing" and "he was missing"?

"He went missing" describes the action of disappearing, while "he was missing" describes the state of being absent and unaccounted for. The first focuses on the event, the second on the state.