miss

[ mis ]

/ mɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR miss ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to fail to hit or strike: to miss a target.

to fail to encounter, meet, catch, etc.: to miss a train.

to fail to take advantage of: to miss a chance.

to fail to be present at or for: to miss a day of school.

to notice the absence or loss of: When did you first miss your wallet?

to regret the absence or loss of: I miss you all dreadfully.

to escape or avoid: He just missed being caught.

to fail to perceive or understand: to miss the point of a remark.

verb (used without object)

to fail to hit something.

to fail of effect or success; be unsuccessful.

noun

a failure to hit something.

a failure of any kind.

an omission.

a misfire.

Verb Phrases

miss out, Chiefly British. to omit; leave out.

miss out on, to fail to take advantage of, experience, etc.: You missed out on a great opportunity.

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Here is our second set of teacher-selected PSAT vocabulary words. Do you know the meanings of these terms?

Question 1 of 10

advocate

to give up possession or occupancy of.

to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.

to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for miss

miss fire. fire(def 52).

Origin of miss

before 900; Middle English missen, Old English missan; cognate with Old Frisian missa, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, Old High German missen, Old Norse missa to fail to hit or reach

OTHER WORDS FROM miss

miss·a·ble, adjectiveun·miss·a·ble, adjectiveun·missed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH miss

midst missed mist

Words nearby miss

misremember, misreport, misrepresent, misrule, misrun, miss, miss a beat, miss by a mile, miss fire, miss is as good as a mile, a, miss julie

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for missed

Ramos just missed being called for one police academy class.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But in a television landscape still so afraid of showing kids that LGBT people exist, it still feels like a missed opportunity.
Yep, Korra and Asami Went in the Spirit Portal and Probably Kissed|Melissa Leon|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When his agent asked if he missed his wife, his mind flashed to an image of Alison.
What On Earth Is ‘The Affair’ About? Season One’s Baffling Finale|Tim Teeman|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But in the meantime, every day that goes by without these resources is a missed opportunity.
Millions Promised for Ebola Not Adding Up|Abby Haglage|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Or for the first time, if you missed the glorious train-wreck that was the Sex Pistols.
The Rancid Ballad of Johnny Rotten: His Memoir Seethes With Anger—And Charm|Legs McNeil|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She missed the good-night kiss from her mamma, and tears rose to her eyes.
A Little Florida Lady|Dorothy C. Paine
I expected Peter would make a fuss when he missed it, but that very night the house in which he lived was burned to the ground.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1909 to 1922|Lucy Maud Montgomery
She missed three questions in succession, and was told that she must remain after school for a special study session.
The Secret Pact|Mildred A. Wirt
She has missed papa's kiss, for he had to leave home early on business; and this adds to her grief.
The Nursery, March 1873, Vol. XIII.|Various
Duff kept straight on in a spirit of caution, and just missed treading upon the fattest rat in the heathen parish of St. John's.
The Path of a Star|Mrs. Everard Cotes (AKA Sara Jeannette Duncan)

British Dictionary definitions for missed (1 of 3)

miss¹

/ (mɪs) /

verb

to fail to reach, hit, meet, find, or attain (some specified or implied aim, goal, target, etc)

(tr) to fail to attend or be present forto miss a train; to miss an appointment

(tr) to fail to see, hear, understand, or perceiveto miss a point

(tr) to lose, overlook, or fail to take advantage ofto miss an opportunity

(tr) to leave out; omitto miss an entry in a list

(tr) to discover or regret the loss or absence ofhe missed his watch; she missed him

(tr) to escape or avoid (something, esp a danger), usually narrowlyhe missed death by inches

miss the boat or miss the bus to lose an opportunity

noun

a failure to reach, hit, meet, find, etc

give something a miss informal to avoid (something)give the lecture a miss; give the pudding a miss

Derived forms of miss

missable, adjective

Word Origin for miss

Old English missan (meaning: to fail to hit); related to Old High German missan, Old Norse missa

British Dictionary definitions for missed (2 of 3)

miss²

/ (mɪs) /

noun

informal an unmarried woman or girl, esp a schoolgirl

Word Origin for miss

C17: shortened form of mistress

British Dictionary definitions for missed (3 of 3)

Miss

/ (mɪs) /

noun

a title of an unmarried woman or girl, usually used before the surname or sometimes alone in direct address

Word Origin for Miss

C17: shortened from mistress

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with missed

miss

In addition to the idioms beginning with miss

miss a beat
miss by a mile
miss fire
miss is as good as a mile, a
miss much
miss out on
miss the boat
miss the point

also see:

heart misses a beat
hit or miss
near miss
not miss a trick

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

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WORD OF THE DAY

miss

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Idioms for miss

Origin of miss

OTHER WORDS FROM miss

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH miss

Words nearby miss

Example sentences from the Web for missed

British Dictionary definitions for missed (1 of 3)

verb

noun

Derived forms of miss

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for missed (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for missed (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for Miss

Idioms and Phrases with missed

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

miss

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Idioms for miss

Origin of miss

OTHER WORDS FROM miss

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH miss

Words nearby miss

Words related to missed

Example sentences from the Web for missed

British Dictionary definitions for missed (1 of 3)

verb

noun

Derived forms of miss

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for missed (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for missed (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for Miss

Idioms and Phrases with missed