miss an opportunity
يفوت فرصة
Use this phrase when a good chance passes you by and you feel a sense of regret.
En 15 segundos
- Failing to take a chance when it is available to you.
- Often used with regret about past choices or as future advice.
- Works perfectly in both professional meetings and casual chats.
Significado
This phrase describes failing to take advantage of a good chance or a special situation before it disappears. It is like seeing a bus arrive, but you don't get on it in time.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Talking about a job offer
I missed an opportunity to work in London because I was scared.
I missed an opportunity to work in London because I was scared.
Giving advice to a friend
You should go to the concert; don't miss this opportunity!
You should go to the concert; don't miss this opportunity!
In a business meeting
The company missed an opportunity to invest in new technology last year.
The company missed an opportunity to invest in new technology last year.
Contexto cultural
The phrase reflects the Western cultural value of 'opportunism' and individual initiative. It is closely linked to the 'American Dream' idea that chances are everywhere, but you must be fast to grab them. It became a staple of business English in the 20th century.
Make it 'Golden'
If the chance was once-in-a-lifetime, always use the adjective 'golden'. It makes your regret sound much more dramatic!
Miss vs. Lose
Don't say 'lose an opportunity' if the chance just passed by. Use 'lose' only if you already had something and it was taken away.
En 15 segundos
- Failing to take a chance when it is available to you.
- Often used with regret about past choices or as future advice.
- Works perfectly in both professional meetings and casual chats.
What It Means
To miss an opportunity means you had a chance to do something great, but you didn't take it. Maybe you were too slow. Maybe you were too nervous. Now, that chance is gone. It is like seeing the last piece of cake at a party and waiting too long to grab it. By the time you decide, someone else has eaten it. You feel a little bit of regret because that door is now closed.
How To Use It
You can use this phrase in almost any situation. It is a very flexible collocation. You can say I missed an opportunity or Don't miss the opportunity. Usually, we follow it with to and a verb. For example: I missed the opportunity to travel. You can also add adjectives like golden or rare to make it sound more important. If you say a golden opportunity, it means the chance was perfect.
When To Use It
Use this when talking about your career, your education, or even your love life. At work, you might miss an opportunity for a promotion. In a restaurant, you might miss an opportunity to try a famous dish because it sold out. It is great for reflecting on the past or giving advice to a friend. If your friend is shy about asking someone on a date, tell them: Don't miss your opportunity!
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this for small, accidental mistakes that don't involve a 'chance.' If you drop your phone, you didn't miss an opportunity to hold it. You just dropped it. Also, don't use it for things that happen on a strict schedule, like a train. You miss the train, you don't miss the opportunity of the train unless the train was taking you to a dream job interview.
Cultural Background
In English-speaking cultures, there is a big focus on 'seizing the day' (Carpe Diem). People often feel a lot of pressure to be productive. Because of this, missing an opportunity is often seen as a sad or regrettable event. There is even a famous saying: Opportunity only knocks once. This creates a sense of urgency. We hate the feeling of 'what if?'
Common Variations
You will often hear miss the boat or miss the chance. Miss the boat is much more informal and a bit more idiomatic. Miss a window of opportunity is a fancy way to say the timing was very tight. If you want to sound more professional, use fail to capitalize on an opportunity. But for daily life, the standard miss an opportunity is your best friend.
Notas de uso
This is a very safe phrase to use in any context. It follows the standard verb-object pattern. Just remember that it is almost always followed by a 'to + verb' structure or 'for + noun'.
Make it 'Golden'
If the chance was once-in-a-lifetime, always use the adjective 'golden'. It makes your regret sound much more dramatic!
Miss vs. Lose
Don't say 'lose an opportunity' if the chance just passed by. Use 'lose' only if you already had something and it was taken away.
FOMO Culture
In modern English, 'missing an opportunity' is the root cause of 'FOMO' (Fear Of Missing Out). People use this phrase a lot because of social media!
Ejemplos
6I missed an opportunity to work in London because I was scared.
I missed an opportunity to work in London because I was scared.
Expressing regret about a career choice.
You should go to the concert; don't miss this opportunity!
You should go to the concert; don't miss this opportunity!
Encouraging someone to take a chance.
The company missed an opportunity to invest in new technology last year.
The company missed an opportunity to invest in new technology last year.
Analyzing a professional mistake.
Ugh, I missed the opportunity to buy those shoes on sale!
Ugh, I missed the opportunity to buy those shoes on sale!
Casual regret about shopping.
I missed my opportunity to get a second slice of pizza while Sarah was talking.
I missed my opportunity to get a second slice of pizza while Sarah was talking.
Using a serious phrase for a silly situation.
He felt he missed an opportunity to learn a second language as a child.
He felt he missed an opportunity to learn a second language as a child.
Long-term reflection on education.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct word to complete the common collocation.
If you don't apply for the scholarship now, you might ___ the opportunity.
While 'lose' is okay, 'miss' is the most natural verb used with 'opportunity' in English.
Complete the sentence to express a 'perfect' chance.
This is a ___ opportunity to meet the CEO.
'Golden opportunity' is a very common idiomatic expression for a perfect chance.
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Ayudas visuales
Formality of 'Miss an Opportunity'
Using 'miss the boat' with friends.
You missed the boat on that crypto trend!
The standard phrase for any situation.
I missed an opportunity to say goodbye.
Used in corporate reports.
The firm missed an opportunity for market expansion.
When to use 'Miss an Opportunity'
Career Growth
Turning down a promotion.
Social Life
Not asking a crush out.
Education
Skipping a free workshop.
Travel
Not visiting a landmark while nearby.
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss in a meeting or with your brother at dinner.
Both are correct. Use 'the' if you are talking about a specific chance everyone knows about, like the opportunity to go to Harvard.
They are almost identical. 'Opportunity' sounds slightly more important or professional than 'chance'.
You can say I don't want to miss this opportunity or You are going to miss a great opportunity.
Usually, yes. It implies you failed to do something beneficial. However, you can say I'm glad I missed the opportunity to get in trouble!
It is an idiom that means the same thing as miss an opportunity, but it is very informal.
Not directly. You don't 'miss an opportunity person.' You miss the opportunity to meet a person.
When used as a noun phrase, it describes the event itself. For example: The meeting was a missed opportunity for peace.
No, it can be small. You can miss an opportunity to buy cheap milk if the sale ends.
Yes, lost opportunity is often used in writing to describe a chance that is gone forever.
Frases relacionadas
Miss the boat
To be too late to take advantage of something.
Let something slip through your fingers
To lose an opportunity because you weren't careful or quick enough.
Seize the day
The opposite: to take an opportunity immediately.
A golden opportunity
An excellent and rare chance.
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