miss out on

miss out on — phrasal verb

  • miss out onbase form
  • misses out on3rd person singular
  • missing out on-ing form
  • missed out onpast simple

1. to not get or experience something enjoyable or useful because you did not take

1.phrasal verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to not get or experience something enjoyable or useful because you did not take a chance to have it when it was available

Example

Piotr missed out on the internship because he submitted his application a day late.

miss out on + noun phrase (missed opportunity)

The hotel was fully booked, so Yara and her family missed out on the discounted weekend rate.

Common collocations
  • miss out on a chance / an opportunity
  • miss out on a deal / offer
  • miss out on the fun
  • miss out on a discount
  • miss out (intransitive)
Synonyms
  • lose out on

    more informal; often implies a competitive situation where someone else gets what you wanted

  • forgo

    more formal; suggests a deliberate choice not to take something, unlike 'miss out on' which is usually unintentional

Antonyms
  • take advantage of

    actively using an opportunity rather than letting it pass

  • seize

    eagerly grabbing a chance before it disappears

Grammar Patterns

miss out on + noun phrase

miss out (without object)

Usage Note

Frequently used with words like 'opportunity', 'chance', 'deal', 'offer', 'fun' as the object. When used without 'on' and an object, it simply means 'lose a chance' — the thing lost is understood from context.

Common Mistakes

I missed out the party.
I missed out on the party.
The preposition 'on' is required before the thing you fail to get or experience.
She missed out of the sale.
She missed out on the sale.
Use 'on', not 'of', after 'miss out'.