missed potential

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "missed potential" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe opportunities or abilities that were not realized or taken advantage of. Example: "The team's failure to innovate led to a significant amount of missed potential in the market."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

The question is whether theirs will be a story of economic empowerment or missed potential.

Harvard Business Review

To raise awareness of the missed potential in these items, each month the challenge focuses on a new theme.

The Guardian

The view all but screams "missed potential" and "poor planning," and it is one that the Brookhaven town supervisor, Mark Lesko, wants to change.

The New York Times

Washington also missed potential warning signs because intelligence resources had been diverted to the Atlantic theater, he said, and the Japanese deftly practiced deception to mislead Americans about the whereabouts of Tokyo's naval strike force.

The New York Times

Woods missed potential birdie putts from 10 feet at No. 10, from 12 feet at No. 13 and from 8 feet at No. 18. Afterward he refused to blame his performance on being rusty, or on letting down after winning the United States Open by 15 strokes at Pebble Beach on June 18.

The New York Times - Sports

I would humbly suggest that the critical portions of an undergraduate education could be and should be delivered at a lower cost to more students, so that our nation's youth do not have to face the personal tragedies of missed potential so well described in this article.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

Are we missing potential members?

The Guardian

As managers, we no longer have the luxury of missing potential disruptions for months or years.

Harvard Business Review

In their rush to classify people, companies can miss potential stars.

The Economist

The resulting methodology reflects trade-offs between reducing the ultimate analysis burden and the risk of missing potential identifier strings.

University of California, Berkeley

The agency now joins the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in facing intense public scrutiny for apparently missing potential signals of a looming attack before Sept. 11.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "missed potential", clearly identify what the potential was and why it was not realized to provide context and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "missed potential" without specifying the area or context where the potential was missed. For example, instead of saying "there was missed potential", specify "there was missed potential in the marketing campaign due to lack of innovation."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "missed potential" functions as a noun phrase, where "missed" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "potential". As confirmed by Ludwig, it correctly describes opportunities or abilities that were not realized. The examples show its use in various contexts, emphasizing lost opportunities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "missed potential" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to describe opportunities or abilities that were not fully realized. According to Ludwig, the expression is correct and can be effectively employed in diverse contexts. Its use spans across news, scientific, and business domains, indicating a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. To maximize clarity, always specify what the potential was and why it was missed. Consider alternatives like "untapped potential" or "unrealized opportunity" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

untapped potential

Focuses on the potential still available but not yet used.

untapped resource

Similar to untapped potential, emphasizing the resource aspect.

unrealized opportunity

Emphasizes the opportunity aspect that was not taken advantage of.

wasted opportunity

Similar to unrealized opportunity, but emphasizes the waste.

lost chance

Highlights the finality of the opportunity being gone.

lost advantage

Highlights the loss of a beneficial position or situation.

squandered talent

Specifically refers to wasted talent or skill.

unexploited capability

Focuses on the capability that was not leveraged.

underutilized resource

Highlights the inefficient use of a resource.

forgone possibility

Emphasizes the possibility that was given up or passed over.

FAQs

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

You can use "missed potential" to describe situations where opportunities or abilities were not fully utilized. For example: "The project's limited scope resulted in a significant amount of "missed potential" for innovation."

What are some alternatives to "missed potential"?

Alternatives to "missed potential" include "untapped potential", "unrealized opportunity", or "wasted opportunity", depending on the specific context you want to convey.

What's the difference between "missed potential" and "untapped potential"?

"Missed potential" refers to opportunities or abilities that were available but not realized, suggesting a failure to capitalize on them. "Untapped potential", on the other hand, describes abilities or opportunities that still exist but have not yet been used.

Is "missed potential" formal or informal language?

"Missed potential" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the writing rather than the phrase itself.