# miss the boat

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To fail to take advantage of an opportunity; to overlook or be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

## Etymology
Allusion to failing to catch a boat in time, effectively “missing” the boat. Popular since the 1920s.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/miss-the-boat