unaccounted-for

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

unaccounted-for — 形容詞

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

1.形容詞B2
釋義

失蹤

指人下落不明，不知去向

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.

地震過後，仍有三名登山客下落不明。

passive: be + still unaccounted for after disaster

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

搜救團隊在倒塌的學校裡搜尋任何仍下落不明的人。

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

交代不清

指金錢物品短缺且無合理解釋

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.

審計發現公司資金中有五千美元交代不清。

find + noun + unaccounted for in audit context

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

倉庫盤點中有好幾箱緊急物資交代不清。

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.