Meaning & use
miss the boat idiom
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiominformalfigurative
An expression meaning to lose a good chance because you act too late.
Grammar: This is a description of the idiom, not a separate phrase to use in a sentence. In real use, say 'miss the boat' without the word 'idiom'.
Patterns
- the idiom 'miss the boat'
- miss the boat on something
The idiom 'miss the boat' means to be too slow to take an opportunity.
In class we learned the idiom 'miss the boat' and wrote our own examples.
If you say someone missed the boat, you mean they lost their chance.
Common combinations
- the idiom 'miss the boat'
- The idiom 'miss the boat' is common in business English.
- use the idiom
- Can you use the idiom 'miss the boat' in a sentence about school?
- an idiom meaning
- 'Miss the boat' is an idiom meaning to lose an opportunity.
Synonyms and how they differ
- miss an opportunity
- This is the plain, literal way to say the same idea; the idiom is more colorful and informal.
Practice
Which sentence uses the idiom 'miss the boat' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom means to lose an opportunity by being too late, so the housing market example fits. The other sentences use 'miss the boat' literally about a real boat.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “miss the boat idiom”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.