exactly missed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exactly missed" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize the precision of a missed opportunity or target, but it is not standard. Example: "I exactly missed the bus by just a few seconds."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Yet, if Bush is still not exactly missed by many Republicans, it appears Rice has shed any doubts with the party base left over from her role in his administrations.

The Guardian

It bears noting that Zynga CEO Mark Pincus is a hard-driving entrepreneur, and some of those looking for other jobs may not be exactly missed, just as the revolving management door in the early days of Facebook wasn't necessarily, shall we say, unwelcome.

TechCrunch

I hadn't exactly missed her during those months of not visiting, so I didn't expect the visit to upset me.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Passers-by could not exactly miss him.

The Guardian - Sport

Not that they're exactly missing, but there is less sparkle.

The Economist

I didn't exactly miss it or want to live there again — I just wondered where it had gone.

The New Yorker

Warmth and humour, it is obvious, are the two qualities exactly missing from this book, as surely as if they had been sliced out with an editor's razor-blade.

The Guardian - Books

Fans of the show, and of what it represents, will probably say that this exactly misses the point: that there's no reason to compare "Dr. Horrible" with anything but other online content.

The New York Times - Arts

Bob Dylan was not exactly missing when Sleater-Kinney went into their last number at both the Fillmore and Soupstock 2000 -- that last number in both cases being the storming "Dig Me Out".

The New York Times - Arts

Redemption isn't exactly missing in Joan London's "The Good Parents," but it's rather beside the point in this suspenseful story of a daughter who runs away with an older man to whom she is in sexual thrall, prompting her mother to reminisce about when she herself ran away with a man (and a gangster, no less) to whom she was in sexual thrall.

The New Yorker

The company wasn't exactly missing from those stores before, because it was already selling graphic novels.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "exactly missed", ensure the context clearly indicates a narrow margin of failure. This emphasizes the precision of the miss, making it more impactful in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "exactly missed" when you simply mean something was generally avoided or not encountered. This phrase implies a near miss, not a complete absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exactly missed" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by a transitive verb. It describes the manner in which something was missed, emphasizing the precision or closeness of the miss. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is grammatically acceptable but not commonly used.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "exactly missed" is a grammatically acceptable but uncommon expression used to describe a near miss, emphasizing the precision of the failure. According to Ludwig AI, while the phrase isn't inherently incorrect, its usage should be carefully considered based on the context. It's best suited for scenarios where highlighting the narrow margin of error is crucial. Alternatives like "precisely failed to hit" or "narrowly avoided" might be more appropriate in certain situations. The primary contexts for this phrase are News & Media and Science, and it maintains a neutral tone. Ensure you're aiming for precision and not general avoidance when employing this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

precisely failed to hit

Emphasizes the accuracy of the miss, highlighting how close the attempt was to succeeding.

narrowly avoided

Focuses on the avoidance aspect, implying that hitting the target was undesirable.

just failed to reach

Highlights the failure to achieve a specific goal or target by a small margin.

marginally unsuccessful in hitting

Similar to 'just failed to reach' but adds a slightly more formal tone.

barely missed hitting

Implies that the action was close to succeeding, adding a sense of near success.

almost struck

Highlights the near collision or impact that didn't quite happen.

came within a hair's breadth of

Emphasizes the incredibly close proximity to success or impact.

fell just short of

Indicates that the attempt was nearly successful but ultimately failed.

by a whisker

Indicates achieving just exactly not hitting

came extremely close to missing

The phrase emphasizes the degree to which the failure to hit the target was achieved.

FAQs

What does "exactly missed" mean?

The phrase "exactly missed" implies a narrow or precise failure to hit a target or achieve a goal. It suggests the attempt came very close to succeeding, but ultimately fell short.

How can I use "exactly missed" in a sentence?

You can use "exactly missed" to describe situations where someone nearly hits a target or achieves a goal but doesn't quite succeed. For example, "The arrow exactly missed the bullseye by a fraction of an inch."

What are some alternatives to "exactly missed"?

Some alternatives to "exactly missed" include "precisely failed to hit", "just failed to reach", or "narrowly avoided", depending on the context.

Is "exactly missed" grammatically correct?

While not the most common phrase, "exactly missed" is grammatically acceptable. However, ensure the context warrants its use, as it implies a very precise failure to hit.