remain missing

USAGE SUMMARY

"remain missing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that is still missing or has yet to be found. For example: "The missing children's whereabouts remain missing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

58 people remain missing.

Independent

Five miners remain missing.

The New York Times

Eighteen civilians remain missing.

The New York Times

Another 164 remain missing.

The Guardian

Hundreds of detainees remain missing.

The New York Times

(Some of them remain missing).

The New Yorker

About 226 people remain missing, officials said.

The New York Times

More than 20,000 people remain missing.

The New York Times

Mexicans who remain missing are presumed dead.

The New York Times

And most of the girls remain missing.

The New Yorker

Nine Japanese including four students, remain missing.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "remain missing" to clearly indicate that a search or investigation is ongoing and the subject has not yet been located. It's suitable for news reports, official statements, and general discussions about missing persons or items.

Common error

Avoid using "remain missing" to describe the initial act of disappearing. Instead, use "go missing" or "disappear" for the event itself, and "remain missing" to describe the continued state of being unfound.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "remain missing" functions as a stative description, indicating a continuous state of being unfound or lost. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is usable in written English to describe something that is still missing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Wiki

8%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "remain missing" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe something or someone that is still lost or unfound. As Ludwig AI points out, its purpose is primarily informative, often appearing in news reports and official statements. While largely interchangeable with "still missing", "remain missing" can convey a slightly more formal tone. Its consistent usage in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian underscores its reliability and appropriateness for various contexts. Be careful not to confuse "remain missing" with "go missing". "Go missing" describes the initial act of disappearing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are continually missing

Highlights the ongoing nature of the missing status.

are still not found

A simpler and more direct way of expressing the continued absence.

are still unaccounted for

Replaces "remain missing" with a more formal tone, focusing on the lack of accounting for individuals.

have not been located

Emphasizes the unsuccessful effort to find the missing entities, using a passive construction.

are outstandingly unfound

A more emphatic way to say they are still not found.

are yet to be discovered

Highlights the ongoing search and the hope for future discovery.

continue to be lost

Focuses on the state of being lost, rather than the act of missing.

have yet to return

Suggests an expectation of return that has not been fulfilled.

are persistently absent

Emphasizes the duration and consistency of the absence.

are indefinitely astray

Implies a prolonged and uncertain state of being lost or missing.

FAQs

How can I use "remain missing" in a sentence?

You can use "remain missing" to indicate that someone or something has not been found and is still lost, as in "After the earthquake, many people "remain missing"".

What's the difference between "remain missing" and "still missing"?

"Remain missing" emphasizes the continuation of the state of being missing, whereas "still missing" simply indicates that the person or object hasn't been found yet. They are largely interchangeable, but "remain missing" may sound slightly more formal.

Which is correct, "remain missing" or "remains missing"?

"Remain missing" is correct because "remain" functions as a linking verb describing the state of being missing. "Remains missing" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

What can I say instead of ""remain missing""?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "still unaccounted for", "have not been found", or "are still lost".