Come Up Missing

In Southern and Appalachian English, "come up missing" means to disappear or turn up absent. It’s the regional equivalent of mainstream "went missing," with a folksy twist.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #DialectandGrammar #Southern

synonyms: disappeared, went missing, vanished, turned up absent

Hillbilly Dude Says...

'Come up missing' is a common way of describing something missin' out in the country down here.

Pronunciation

[KUM UP MISS-in] /kʌm ʌp ˈmɪs.ɪŋ/

Meaning & Usage

- To be missing or absent unexpectedly (idiom)

Elmer:

My pocketknife done come up missing again.

Estel:

Check under the seat - last time it rolled down there.

variations: turned up missing, gone missing

★ Think of "come up missing" as the Southern way to say "went missing." It gives even a simple disappearance a touch of storytelling. ★

Origin

Likely evolved from older English phrasing "to come up short," combined with "missing." Common in Southern and Appalachian speech, especially in 20th-century oral histories and newspapers, as a down-home way of saying "went missing."

Notes

Common across Appalachia and the rural South; less frequent in other regions.
Often used about objects ("my wrench come up missing") or even people ("he come up missing last night").
Compare to mainstream "went missing" - same meaning, different flavor.

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Does "come up missing" mean the same as "went missing"?

Yes - but it’s a more Southern/Appalachian way of saying it.

Where is it used?

Throughout the South and Appalachia, especially in rural speech and older generations.

Is it still used today?

Yes, though less frequently among younger speakers - it’s seen as a folksy regionalism.

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