Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to disappear into thin air

to disappear into thin air

8 4.4
To vanish suddenly with no trace
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : desaparecer en el aire
  • He's disappeared into thin air without leaving a trace for us to follow.
  • just disappear into thin air
  • simply disappear into thin air
  • people disappear into thin air

Examples

  • I suppose they will then disappear into thin air along with the old site itself.

    Blog text (24)

  • I watched in disbelief as the magician made the rabbit disappear into thin air.

  • I thought they disappeared into thin air.

    Dolittle (2020)

  • Two people have disappeared into thin air.

    Mayday (2019)

  • It's just disappeared into thin air.

    The Gateway (2018)

  • I suppose the images will then disappear into thin air along with the old site itself.

    Blog text (24)

  • I've seen them disappear into thin air!

    Free Birds (2013)

  • He's disappeared into thin air.

    Zardoz (1974)

  • The warrior-mage inclined his head and disappeared into thin air.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • A mysterious halo of light shrouds the Rangers, and they disappear into thin air.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

to disappear
vsto disappear into thin air
∞ 1.0

To stop being seen or to no longer be there

describes an unexplained complete loss of presence rather than general invisibility
to go away
vsto disappear into thin air
463 1.0

To stop being seen or felt

emphasizes mysterious total loss rather than mere fading or leaving
to vanish
vsto disappear into thin air
421 3.0

Disappear suddenly and completely for no clear reason

is about unexplained total absence rather than only sudden loss of sight
to vanish off the face of the earth
vsto disappear into thin air
  • Informal
1 8.1

Disappear completely so no one knows what happened and no sign is left

is more about mysterious unexplained loss of presence than only lack of traces
to drop off the radar
vsto disappear into thin air
  • Informal
1 7.5

To stop being seen or heard from by others

expresses mysterious complete and unexplained total absence rather than temporary loss of contact
gone off the face of the earth
vsto disappear into thin air
  • Informal
9.5

Someone or something disappears completely so nobody knows where they are

focuses on strange unexplained ending of presence rather than merely lacking records

Antonyms

to show up
∞ 1.4

To be seen or arrive at a place

to reappear
70 2.7

To come back into sight after being away for a time

How Gone

to disappear into thin air
  • Informal
8 4.4
to disappear
∞ 1.0
to fade away
69 3.0

Surface Forms

disappear into thin air infinitive
disappearing into thin air present participle
disappears into thin air third person singular
disappeared into thin air past
disappeared into thin air past participle

Morphology

disappear + into + thin + air

The meaning 'to vanish completely and mysteriously' is directly derivable from 'disappear' (to become invisible) combined with the locative/manner phrase 'into thin air' (into insubstantial or non-existent space), which intensifies completeness and unexplained disappearance. This compositional metaphor is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the overall meaning.

Etymology

Disappear into thin air creates a picture of someone disappearing like smoke, fading into thin air where there is nothing left to see or find. So it means 'to vanish completely and without explanation'.