missing link

[mis-ing lingk] / ˈmɪs ɪŋ ˈlɪŋk /

NOUN

lost connection

Synonyms

WEAK

broken thread omission prehuman protohuman

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dulles came to believe that religion, specifically an ecumenical Protestantism aiming to promote cooperation among different sects, was the missing link that could provide a moral architecture for the global system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

"This was the missing link that explains how a normal immune response can, in very rare cases, become harmful."

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

“It’s kind of a missing link in the system, through a fairly densely populated part of the city,” Elkind said of the proposed K Line extension.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

And first-time buyers, long a missing link of the housing market, represented some 34% of February sales, one of the highest rates in five years, according to National Association of Realtors data.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

The missing link, in all cases, was information.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee