missing in action

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪsɪŋ ɪn ˈækʃən/

• Audio (AU)

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• Hyphenation: miss‧ing in act‧ion

missing in action (not comparable)

1. (chiefly military) The designation for a member of an organization (usually military) with whom contact is lost and whose whereabouts are not known, but whose death is not confirmed.
2. (by extension) Not present when one is expected to be.
   • 2018 February 24, Paul Rees, “Finn Russell masterminds historic Scotland victory over England”, in The Guardian‎, London, archived from the original on 22 April 2018:

     John Barclay and [Stuart] McInally controlled the tackle area, denying England quick possession and fracturing the champions’ supply line, Simon Berghan anchored the scrum and behind Finn Russell, missing in action in the opening two rounds, fulfilled his captain Barclay’s prediction on the eve of the game that he would be the man of the match.

• Initialism: MIA

• killed in action (KIA)
• lost in action (LIA)

• missing in action on Wikipedia.Wikipedia