C2144: Syntax Error Missing ‘;’ Before ‘Type’ in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5 C++) – What It Means & How to Fix It

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🧠 Why You’re Seeing This Error

The C2144 error happens when the compiler was expecting a semicolon, but instead found a type declaration (like int32, float, or FVector). This usually means:

• You forgot a ; after a class or struct
• You’re declaring a variable after an invalid or incomplete statement
• There’s a macro like GENERATED_BODY() or UPROPERTY() that’s broken or missing
• A previous line is corrupting the syntax of the next one

In UE5, this error is often tied to macro-heavy class definitions where one small syntax issue cascades into errors down the line.

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💥 Example Error Message

error C2144: syntax error: 'int' should be preceded by ';'

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🛠️ Example Code

UCLASS()
class AMyActor : public AActor
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

    UPROPERTY()
    int32 Health

    int32 Score; // ❌ C2144: syntax error: missing ';' before 'int'
};

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✅ How to Fix C2144 UE5 – Step-by-Step

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✔️ 1. Make Sure Each Statement Ends with a Semicolon

The line before the one causing the error is often the true culprit.

Fix:

UPROPERTY()
int32 Health; // ✅ Add semicolon here

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✔️ 2. Check for Broken Macros Like GENERATED_BODY()

If you accidentally delete or misplace GENERATED_BODY(), Unreal’s code generation system breaks, and everything that follows becomes a mess of syntax errors.

Wrong:

UCLASS()
class AMyActor : public AActor
{
    // GENERATED_BODY() is missing
    int32 Health;
};

Fix:

UCLASS()
class AMyActor : public AActor
{
    GENERATED_BODY()
    int32 Health;
};

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✔️ 3. Look Above the Line With the Error

C2144 is often a domino effect from a mistake above. Check for:

• A missing closing brace }
• A missing ;
• A mistyped macro

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✔️ 4. Fix Function or Enum Declarations

You might have a function declared without a return type or a custom enum with incorrect formatting.

Wrong:

MyFunction()
{
    // ...
}
int32 Health; // ❌ C2144 here

Fix:

void MyFunction()
{
    // ...
}
int32 Health;

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✅ Summary: How to Fix C2144 in UE5

Cause	Fix
Missing ; after a statement	Add semicolon after the previous line
Broken macro	Ensure GENERATED_BODY(), UPROPERTY(), etc. are correct
Bad function or enum syntax	Add return type or formatting
Missing class/struct semicolon	Add ; after class or struct definition