unaccounted-for

/ˌʌnəˈkaʊntɪd fɔː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnəˈkaʊntɪd fɔːr/ (ame, ipa)

unaccounted-for — adjective

1. describes a person whose current location is unknown and whose safety cannot be

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a person whose current location is unknown and whose safety cannot be confirmed — used especially after disasters, accidents, or military operations when the person cannot be found.

例句

After the earthquake, three hikers were still unaccounted for.

passive: be + still unaccounted for after disaster

Rescue teams searched the collapsed school for anyone who remained unaccounted for.

remain + unaccounted for as post-modifier

同義詞
  • missing

    more general term — can describe people, objects, or pets in both casual and official contexts

  • lost

    implies the person cannot be found but is less urgent and less formal than unaccounted-for

  • vanished

    dramatic tone — suggests disappearance without any trace; literary or journalistic register

反義詞
  • accounted for

    direct opposite — location and safety are confirmed

  • located

    focuses on the position being found rather than the explanation

文法句型

be + unaccounted for

remain + unaccounted for

reported + unaccounted for

用法筆記

Only used for people — never for objects or pets in this sense. Frequently appears in news reports about natural disasters, accidents, or armed conflicts where official counts of survivors are still incomplete.

常見錯誤

❌The cat is unaccounted for after the storm.
✅The cat is missing after the storm.
💡Unaccounted-for is reserved for people in formal or emergency contexts; use 'missing' or 'lost' for pets and objects.

2. describes money, goods, or other items that are missing and no one can explain w

2.形容詞C1
釋義

describes money, goods, or other items that are missing and no one can explain where they went or why they are not present.

例句

The audit found $5,000 of company funds unaccounted for.

find + noun + unaccounted for in audit context

Several boxes of emergency supplies were unaccounted for in the warehouse inventory.

passive: be + unaccounted for in inventory context

同義詞
  • missing

    simpler and more general — does not carry the formal, unexplained-discrepancy nuance

  • unexplained

    focuses on the lack of reason rather than the physical absence

  • outstanding

    used in accounting for amounts that are due but not yet received or explained

反義詞
  • accounted for

    direct opposite — every item has a known location or explanation

  • reconciled

    accounting term — the records match the actual amounts

文法句型

be + unaccounted for

find + noun + unaccounted for

remain + unaccounted for

用法筆記

Used for money, goods, or quantities — never for people in this sense. Common in financial audits, inventory checks, and official investigations where the expected total does not match the actual count.

常見錯誤

❌His wallet is unaccounted for.
✅Ten thousand dollars in donations was unaccounted for in the charity report.
💡The term implies a formal, documented discrepancy — not everyday misplacement.