Meaning & use
unfulfilled potential
Last updated
Meaning
phraseuncountable
The ability or possibility to achieve great things that has not been realized or used fully.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; often follows verbs like 'have', 'fulfill', or 'waste'.
Patterns
- have unfulfilled potential
- fulfill one's unfulfilled potential
- a waste of unfulfilled potential
The young athlete had unfulfilled potential due to repeated injuries.
The old factory site still holds unfulfilled potential for redevelopment.
Many people feel regret about their unfulfilled potential in their careers.
Common combinations
- unfulfilled potential
- She was described as a writer of unfulfilled potential.
- realize one's unfulfilled potential
- He finally realized his unfulfilled potential after years of hard work.
- a sense of unfulfilled potential
- There was a sense of unfulfilled potential in the team's performance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- untapped potential
- Similar, but 'untapped' emphasizes that the potential has not yet been used at all, while 'unfulfilled' suggests it was expected but not achieved.
- wasted talent
- Stronger and more critical, implying the person did not use their ability and it is now lost.
Opposites
Practice
Which sentence uses 'unfulfilled potential' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Unfulfilled potential' is a noun phrase meaning unrealized ability. Option 0 uses it correctly as the object of 'has'. Option 1 is wrong because 'unfulfilled' is an adjective, not a verb. Option 2 is nonsensical. Option 3 uses 'unfulfilling' as a verb, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unfulfilled potential”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.