Meaning & use
hole in the market
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
A need or demand for a product or service that no company is currently meeting.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a hole in the market' or 'holes in the market'. Often followed by 'for' and a noun.
Patterns
- a hole in the market for something
- fill a hole in the market
- identify a hole in the market
The startup spotted a hole in the market for affordable electric bikes.
There is a big hole in the market for healthy fast food in this city.
If you can fill a hole in the market, your business will grow quickly.
Common combinations
- fill a hole in the market
- The new app fills a hole in the market for language learners.
- a gap in the market
- Many entrepreneurs look for a gap in the market before launching.
- spot a hole in the market
- She spotted a hole in the market for eco-friendly cleaning products.
- there's a hole in the market for
- There's a hole in the market for a good late-night café.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gap in the market
- This is the more common and standard phrase; 'hole in the market' is a less formal variant.
- niche
- A niche is a small, specialized segment of a market; a hole in the market is an unmet need, not necessarily small.
Commonly confused: hole in the market or gap in the market?
hole in the market vs gap in the market
Both mean an opportunity, but 'gap in the market' is the standard business term; 'hole in the market' is less common and may sound slightly informal.
Practice
The company saw a ______ in the market for affordable solar panels.
Choose one answer.
'Hole in the market' is the correct idiom meaning an unmet demand. 'Whole' is an adjective meaning complete, 'hall' is a large room, and 'hill' is a raised area of land; none fit the business context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hole in the market”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.