gain foregone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gain foregone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing lost opportunities or benefits that could have been obtained but were not. Example: "The decision to withdraw from the project resulted in a significant gain foregone that could have boosted our profits."

✓ Grammatically correct

Formal & Business

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Moreover, "If the stock goes down, there's risk of loss if he's forced to exercise; if the stock goes up, then there's gain foregone".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It describes an experiment which investigates whether, when individuals consider giving up money in exchange for goods, they construe money outlays as losses or as foregone gains.

Journal of Public Economics

You would have a cost advantage of 1% if comparable consumer loans charged 8% and the foregone investment gain was 7%.

Forbes

David Cone remarked last summer that when he and Gooden played with the Mets gaining 200 victories seemed a foregone conclusion; 300 victories was the real target, maybe even 400.

The New York Times - Sports

8 Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to examine the extent of foregone care and to gain an understanding of the factors that are responsible for driving a wedge between availability and utilisation.

BMJ Open

"The Netherlands is showing us that a breakthrough for the extreme right is not a foregone conclusion and that progressives are gaining momentum," said French independent leader Emmanuel Macron.

Huffington Post

That's not to say that the gains were easily won; that unity was a foregone conclusion; that fellow union rank and filers weren't antagonistic and combative; that fear of lost jobs and broken intra-union marriages weren't colossal obstacles.

Huffington Post

Our ranking compares the cost of getting an M.B.A., in foregone income and in tuition, with the rewards, in salary gains.

Forbes

More fundamentally, even if the abolition of the tax on alcohol would bring economic benefits, what would be the gains and losses in government revenue and what are the opportunity costs foregone?

BMC Public Health

Using the above guiding criteria, a plan was made to create a two-tiered payment system, informed by the HUAS observations and affirmed by the traditional healers, that would compensate traditional healers for foregone revenues (i.e., earnings that they would have gained by treating the children themselves) but not reward them excessively.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Leading Democrats, from Mr. Obama to Gov. Jay Nixon, have kept their distance, seeing little to be gained by contesting what strategists dismiss as a Republican straw poll with a foregone conclusion.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gain foregone" when you want to specifically emphasize that a potential benefit or profit was consciously or unconsciously missed due to a decision or circumstance. It's particularly effective in financial or economic discussions.

Common error

Avoid using "gain foregone" when describing actual losses or expenses. This phrase specifically refers to potential benefits that were not realized, not money or resources that were spent or lost.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gain foregone" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical status. It describes a potential benefit or profit that was not realized, often due to a specific decision or circumstance.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "gain foregone" is a phrase used to describe a potential benefit or profit that was not realized. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, though its frequency is rare. While grammatically sound and most appropriate for formal or financial contexts, simpler alternatives like "lost opportunity" may be more suitable for general audiences. When employing the phrase, ensure you're referring to a potential benefit, not an actual loss. Remember, its communicative purpose is to assess missed opportunities in economic or business contexts. Top sources that use this term are The New York Times and Forbes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lost opportunity

This is a more common and direct way of expressing the same concept; it's less formal.

missed benefit

Focuses specifically on the benefit that was not realized, rather than the general idea of gain.

opportunity cost

Highlights the cost associated with choosing one option over another, implying the foregone gain from the unchosen option.

sacrificed profit

Emphasizes the aspect of profit that was given up.

unrealized gain

Focuses on the gain that didn't materialize.

potential earnings lost

Explicitly states the loss of potential earnings.

yield relinquished

Highlights the yield or return that was given up, suitable for investment contexts.

forfeited advantage

Emphasizes the advantage that was lost or given up.

waived revenue

Specifically refers to revenue that was intentionally given up, often in business contexts.

passed up reward

Highlights the reward aspect that was missed out on.

FAQs

How can I use "gain foregone" in a sentence?

You can use "gain foregone" to describe a missed opportunity for profit or benefit, such as, "The company's decision to delay the product launch resulted in a significant "gain foregone"".

What's the difference between "gain foregone" and "lost profit"?

"Gain foregone" refers to a potential profit that was never realized, while "lost profit" typically refers to a profit that was expected but then reduced or eliminated due to unforeseen circumstances.

Are there synonyms for "gain foregone" that are more commonly used?

Yes, alternatives such as "lost opportunity" or "missed benefit" are often used in place of "gain foregone", depending on the specific context.

Is "gain foregone" appropriate for formal or informal writing?

"Gain foregone" is suitable for formal writing, especially in economic or financial contexts. For informal settings, "lost opportunity" might be a more accessible alternative.