what a miss

USAGE SUMMARY

"what a miss" is correct and usable in written English.
You use it when you want to express disappointment or regret at something that was missed or not taken advantage of. For example: "What a miss! We could have had a great vacation if we had booked the trip earlier."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

What! A! Miss! Gyan rosses this time, and Waris at the back post miscues his header wide, perhaps surprised that Alves, just in front of him, didn't head the ball.

The Guardian - Sport

And what a miss!

The Guardian - Sport

Catherine McShane: "What a miss from Amis".

The New Yorker

6.53pm BST What a miss!

The Guardian - Sport

80 mins: What a miss!

The Guardian - Sport

54 min: What a miss by Costa!

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

What a missed opportunity.

The New York Times

What a missed opportunity this is.

The Economist

I just thought: what a missed opportunity.

Independent

But what a missed opportunity!

The New York Times

But alas, what a missed opportunity this referendum is.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "what a miss" to express immediate disappointment or surprise at a missed opportunity, especially in situations where the failure was unexpected or easily avoidable. For emphasis, you can add an exclamation point.

Common error

While "what a miss" is acceptable in many contexts, avoid using it in highly formal documents or academic papers. Opt for more professional alternatives like "a missed opportunity" or "an unfortunate oversight".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what a miss" functions primarily as an exclamation or interjection. It expresses a speaker's immediate reaction of disappointment, regret, or disbelief when someone fails to capitalize on an opportunity or makes a noticeable error. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it’s correct to use it for expressing regret.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Academia

3%

Science

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "what a miss" is a versatile phrase used to express disappointment or surprise when an opportunity is missed. According to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and commonly used. While mainly found in news and media contexts, particularly sports reporting, its informal tone may not suit academic or formal business settings. Consider alternatives like "a missed opportunity" in such contexts. Be aware of this informality and leverage best practices and avoid common errors to guarantee the phrase is used accurately. Remember it is acceptable to express disappointment using this phrase in different contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

What a wasted chance

Focuses on the loss of an opportunity.

How did he miss that

Expresses disbelief and disappointment, often used in sports.

What a blunder

Replaces "miss" with a stronger term indicating a significant error.

What an unfortunate miss

Adds a layer of sympathy to the disappointment.

That was a sitter

An informal term, mainly in sports, for an easy chance missed.

What a regrettable miss

Conveys a sense of sorrow over the missed opportunity.

What a terrible mistake

Emphasizes the negative aspect of the missed opportunity.

What a painful miss

Emphasizes the unpleasant feeling associated with the miss.

What a howler

An informal term for a glaring error, often in sports.

A real shocker

An informal way to express surprise and disappointment at the miss.

FAQs

How can I use "what a miss" in a sentence?

You can use "what a miss" to express disappointment or surprise when something that should have been achieved was not. For example, "What a miss! He was wide open in front of the goal."

What's a more formal alternative to "what a miss"?

For formal contexts, consider using phrases like "a missed opportunity" or "an unfortunate failure" instead of the more informal "what a miss".

Is "what a miss" appropriate for professional communication?

While acceptable in casual workplace conversation, "what a miss" might be too informal for official emails or reports. Use discretion based on your company's culture.

What does "what a wasted chance" mean, and how is it different from "what a miss"?

"What a wasted chance" emphasizes the loss of an opportunity, whereas "what a miss" focuses on the act of failing to capitalize on it. They are very similar and often interchangeable.