may be disappeared

USAGE SUMMARY

"may be disappeared" is not grammatically correct.
The correct form would be "may disappear." This can be used in a sentence to express possibility or uncertainty about something happening in the future, as in: - It may rain tomorrow. - The keys may disappear if you leave them on the table. - He may go to college next year. If you want to express something happening in the past, you could use the passive voice and say "may have disappeared," as in: - The dinosaur may have disappeared millions of years ago.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

If a person is considered a security risk for any reason, he may be disappeared.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But it is a spectacle that may be disappearing.

The New York Times

But the art of sign painting may be disappearing.

The New York Times

Now that habit of retention may be disappearing.

The New York Times

It was a privilege, and sad to realize those days may be disappearing.

The Guardian - Opinion

But Uptown, that island of lost boys and girls may be disappearing.

The New York Times

The land may be disappearing, the coastline may be under threat and his livelihood may be shut off.

The New York Times

Something vital may be disappearing along with old-fashioned funerals, said Thomas G. Long, a Presbyterian and professor of preaching at Emory University's Candler School of Theology in Atlanta.

The New York Times

ENRC may be disappearing from the London Stock Exchange, but the professional and personal lives of the tycoons link them inextricably to the UK.

The Guardian - Business

Even though the regular lunch hour may be disappearing in traditional offices, a sandwich at the computer keyboard is a sad fact of life for many home-based workers as well.

The Guardian

And can Democrats stick with the economic policy framework they adopted during the Clinton administration -- a somewhat uncomfortable marriage of fiscal responsibility and continued belief in activist government -- when the basis of that policy, the budget surplus, may be disappearing?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the passive voice with "disappear" when a more direct and active construction will improve clarity. Instead of "may be disappeared", use "may disappear" or "might vanish".

Common error

Using "be disappeared" creates an awkward passive construction. Replace it with the active form "disappear" or use alternative phrases like "go missing" or "vanish" for better grammar.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may be disappeared" functions as a verb phrase, attempting to express a possibility regarding someone or something ceasing to be visible or known. However, this construction is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies that the passive voice is inappropriately used with "disappear."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "may be disappeared" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI suggests that the correct form is "may disappear" or "may have disappeared", depending on the intended meaning. While examples do exist, particularly in News & Media, it's crucial to use grammatically sound alternatives like "might have vanished" or "could have disappeared" to ensure clarity and correctness in your writing. The frequency is rare and should be replaced to improve grammar.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might have vanished

Uses "vanished" to imply a complete disappearance, which is a strong synonym for "disappeared".

could have disappeared

Expresses possibility and past action, mirroring the original intent more grammatically.

may have gone missing

Replaces "disappeared" with the common term "gone missing", indicating an unexplained absence.

might be missing

Focuses on the present state of being missing rather than the action of disappearing.

may have been abducted

Suggests a specific cause of disappearance, implying forced removal.

could be lost

Implies a lack of knowledge of someone or something's whereabouts.

may be untraceable

Highlights the difficulty in finding someone or something that has disappeared.

might be irrecoverable

Suggests that something lost is unlikely to be found or restored.

could be no more

Euphemistically suggests that someone has died or ceased to exist.

may cease to exist

Indicates the potential end of existence, suitable for abstract or concrete subjects.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "disappear" in a sentence?

Use "disappear" as an active verb. For example, say "The keys may disappear if you leave them on the table" instead of the grammatically incorrect "may be disappeared".

What's a more grammatically sound alternative to "may be disappeared"?

Consider using phrases like "might have vanished", "could have disappeared", or "may have gone missing".

Is "may be disappeared" considered proper English?

No, "may be disappeared" is not considered proper English. The correct form is "may disappear" or "may have disappeared", depending on the intended meaning.

In what contexts might I use "may disappear" versus "may have disappeared"?

"May disappear" suggests a future possibility, while "may have disappeared" suggests a past event. For example, "The evidence may disappear" versus "The evidence may have disappeared".