lost opportunity

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lost opportunity" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a missed chance or potential that has been passed up due to a lack of action or awareness. Example sentence: "John felt great regret over his lost opportunity to attend the prestigious college."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Another lost opportunity.

The New York Times

The lost opportunity stung.

The New York Times

Some see this as a lost opportunity.

The Economist

That would be a lost opportunity.

The New York Times

Estes lamented another lost opportunity.

The New York Times - Sports

For restaurants, it is a lost opportunity.

The New York Times - Food

"To me, it's a huge lost opportunity.

The Guardian

I do see a lost opportunity".

The New York Times

"This is really a lost opportunity.

The Guardian

That certainly is a lost opportunity.

The New York Times

"It will be a lost opportunity.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing business strategy or personal development, use "lost opportunity" to underscore the significance of missed chances for growth or improvement.

Common error

Avoid using "lost opportunity" interchangeably with "missed deadline." A "missed deadline" refers to a specific time constraint, while a "lost opportunity" implies a broader failure to capitalize on a potentially beneficial situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lost opportunity" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the subject of a clause. It identifies something of value that was not obtained or utilized. Ludwig examples confirm this usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

4%

Social Media

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lost opportunity" is a common and grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a missed chance or unrealized potential. As confirmed by Ludwig, it appears frequently in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Scientific contexts, suggesting its widespread applicability across various professional domains. While alternatives like "missed chance" or "squandered potential" exist, "lost opportunity" maintains its relevance due to its clear and direct conveyance of a sense of regret or criticism. When writing, it's crucial to differentiate it from related terms like "missed deadline" and use it to underscore the significance of unrealized possibilities in both business strategy and personal development.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

missed chance

Focuses more on the specific instance of failing to capitalize on a moment or event.

squandered potential

Highlights the aspect of wasting something valuable that was available.

wasted possibility

Emphasizes that a potential benefit has been lost.

forgone advantage

Highlights the failure to secure a benefit or gain.

neglected prospect

Emphasizes that a promising future development was not properly attended to.

dropped ball

An idiomatic expression indicating a mistake or failure in executing a task or plan.

slip-up

A more casual term for a mistake that resulted in a loss.

botched situation

Indicates a mismanagement of circumstances leading to a negative outcome.

untapped resource

Focuses on the fact that a potential source of value remains unused.

unseized initiative

Highlights the failure to take decisive action when an opportunity presented itself.

FAQs

How to use "lost opportunity" in a sentence?

You can use "lost opportunity" to describe a missed chance or unrealized potential. For example, "The company's failure to invest in new technology was a "lost opportunity" for growth."

What can I say instead of "lost opportunity"?

You can use alternatives like "missed chance", "squandered potential", or "wasted possibility" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "lost opportunity" or "missed opportunity"?

Both "lost opportunity" and "missed opportunity" are correct and commonly used. They convey essentially the same meaning, although "lost opportunity" might slightly emphasize the permanent nature of the loss.

What's the difference between "lost opportunity" and "missed opportunity"?

While largely interchangeable, "lost opportunity" might suggest a more significant or irreversible loss compared to "missed opportunity", which could imply a chance might still exist.