misses the mark

USAGE SUMMARY

"misses the mark" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an idiom that means to fail to achieve something. For example: Her answer to the question missed the mark and she was unable to answer it correctly.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Why Facebook's New 'Groups' Misses The Mark.

Forbes

You Don't Need It," by Mark Bittman (column, July 8), misses the mark.

The New York Times

Virginia Heffernan's Medium column misses the mark.

The New York Times - Magazine

Only Ronald Reagan misses the mark.

The New York Times

Trump's plan completely misses the mark.

The Guardian - Opinion

This critique, too, misses the mark.

The Guardian - Business

Either way it misses the mark badly.

The New York Times - Arts

Viacom said Google's response misses the mark.

The New York Times - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

But Mr. Hoffman misses the mark when he categorizes today's synagogue music as being traditionally oriented.

The New York Times

A second relief well is being drilled in case the first misses the mark.

The New York Times

That misses the mark.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "misses the mark" to critique strategies, arguments, or plans that don't achieve their intended purpose or desired outcome. It's particularly effective when you want to express that something is not just wrong, but also irrelevant or misguided.

Common error

While "misses the mark" is a useful idiom, avoid overusing it in your writing. Vary your language with synonyms like "falls short" or "is inaccurate" to maintain reader engagement and avoid sounding repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "misses the mark" functions as an idiomatic expression used to express that something fails to achieve its intended goal or purpose. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for use in written English. It's commonly used in critiques and evaluations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Science

7%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "misses the mark" is a common and grammatically sound idiomatic expression used to indicate that something fails to achieve its intended purpose or goal. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It's frequently used in news and media, maintaining a neutral register, and serves primarily to criticize or evaluate. While versatile, it's best to avoid overuse and vary your language. Alternatives like "falls short" or "is inaccurate" can provide similar meaning with a slightly different nuance. The phrase is prevalent in reputable sources such as The New York Times and Forbes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

falls short

Indicates a failure to reach a required standard or expectation.

is off-target

Suggests a deviation from the intended goal or focus.

is inaccurate

Focuses on the lack of precision or correctness.

is not up to par

Suggests a failure to meet an acceptable standard.

is wide of the goal

Emphasizes a significant deviation from the desired target.

is a failure

Directly states the lack of success.

proves ineffective

Indicates a lack of effectiveness or impact.

doesn't achieve the desired result

Highlights the lack of the intended outcome.

is beside the point

Indicates irrelevance or a lack of connection to the main issue.

is far from the truth

Emphasizes a significant departure from accuracy or reality.

FAQs

How can I use "misses the mark" in a sentence?

You can use "misses the mark" to indicate that something fails to achieve its intended purpose or goal. For example, "The company's new marketing strategy "misses the mark" because it doesn't resonate with the target audience."

What are some alternatives to saying "misses the mark"?

Alternatives to "misses the mark" include phrases like "falls short", "is inaccurate", or "is off-target", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "misses the mark" or "falls short"?

Both "misses the mark" and "falls short" are valid phrases, but they have slightly different connotations. "Misses the mark" suggests a failure to achieve a specific goal or target, while "falls short" implies a failure to meet a certain standard or expectation.

What's the difference between "misses the mark" and "is irrelevant"?

"Misses the mark" suggests that something is not achieving its intended purpose, while "is irrelevant" means that something is not related to the topic at hand. Something can "miss the mark" even if it is relevant, and something can be irrelevant even if it's well-executed.