miss out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Informal to neutral; common in spoken and written English.
Quick answer
What does “miss out” mean?
To fail to experience, obtain, or be included in something beneficial, interesting, or important.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To fail to experience, obtain, or be included in something beneficial, interesting, or important.
To omit or exclude someone or something from a group, list, or activity; to be overlooked or deprived of a positive opportunity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In transitive use, 'miss out' (meaning 'omit') is far more common in UK English ('He missed out the third step'). In US English, 'leave out' is strongly preferred for this meaning. The intransitive use ('to miss out on something') is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical for the core meaning of losing an opportunity.
Frequency
Intransitive use ('miss out on') is very frequent in both varieties. Transitive 'miss out' (omit) is predominantly UK.
Grammar
How to Use “miss out” in a Sentence
SBJ miss out (intransitive)SBJ miss out on + OPPORTUNITY/EXPERIENCESBJ miss + STH + out (transitive, UK)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “miss out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Don't miss out on this limited offer!
- The printer missed out a whole line from the document.
- You'll really miss out if you don't come.
American English
- Don't miss out on this limited offer!
- The printer left out a whole line from the document. (Not 'missed out')
- You'll really miss out if you don't come.
adjective
British English
- The missed-out generation felt excluded from prosperity.
American English
- The left-out generation felt excluded from prosperity. (Rare as adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"If we delay the launch, we'll miss out on the crucial holiday market."
Academic
"The study's narrow focus risks missing out on significant contextual factors."
Everyday
"I had to work, so I missed out on the party."
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “miss out”
- Incorrect: *'I don't want to miss out the fun.' Correct: '...miss out ON the fun.'
- Incorrect preposition: *'miss out for an opportunity'.
- Confusing 'miss out' (lose) with 'leave out' (omit) in American English.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Miss' means to fail to hit, reach, or encounter something (miss a target, miss a flight). 'Miss out' specifically means to fail to experience, obtain, or be included in something beneficial or enjoyable.
Yes, for the core meaning of losing an opportunity/experience (intransitive use). The pattern is 'miss out on + noun/noun phrase'. It is not used in the transitive UK sense of 'omit'.
In British English, yes, it can mean 'to omit something' (e.g., 'miss out a step'). In American English, this is very uncommon; use 'leave out' or 'skip' instead.
FOMO is an acronym for 'Fear Of Missing Out' – the anxious feeling that others are having rewarding experiences from which you are absent. It's a direct conceptual link to 'miss out'.
To fail to experience, obtain, or be included in something beneficial, interesting, or important.
Miss out is usually informal to neutral; common in spoken and written english. in register.
Miss out: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɪs ˈaʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɪs ˈaʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)”
- “miss the boat/bus”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'missed' call or bus: it passed by and you weren't on it. You MISSED being OUT in the world experiencing it.
Conceptual Metaphor
OPPORTUNITY IS AN OBJECT IN MOTION (you fail to catch/board it). INCLUSION IS CONTAINMENT (you are left outside the container).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'miss out' CORRECTLY in American English?