Word of the Day: Miss
The word “miss” has a few different meanings when it’s used as a verb.
In the first set of examples, to miss something or someone is to wish for it because it’s no longer there or it’s in a distant location or time. Do not use continuous verbs (ing) for these situations.
- Ankita misses her boyfriend who moved to Europe.
- Edgar misses his parents now that he’s living in the United States.
- Yolanda and Juan missed seeing each other when they were apart, but now they’re back together again.
- Now that you’re married, what do you miss most about being single?
- I miss the carefree days of my youth.
A slightly different use for “miss” is when you can’t find something. In this case, continuous verbs are common:
- This puzzle is missing a few pieces.
- The store is missing a few thousand dollars.
- She’s missing a front tooth.
- You’re missing an assignment. Where is it?
- The police are looking for a missing child. (In this sentence, “missing” is an adjective.)
If you attempt to hit or throw something but are not successful, you miss it.
- Bobby swung at the ball and missed.
- Sheila tried to throw the cabbage into the garbage, but her aim was bad and she missed. The cabbage fell to the floor.
- That guy is a terrible basketball player. He always misses the basket.
- The forward missed the goal.
If you schedule an appointment, a meeting, or a service of some kind but you can’t make it or you don’t go, you miss it.
- Larissa missed her flight to New York. She’ll have to get on another plane.
- Charles has been missing a lot of meetings lately.
- You missed your appointment. You’ll have to reschedule.
- Try not to miss any more classes.
- I’m sorry I missed the party. Was it fun?
There’s one other important use for the word “miss” which is completely different from its use as a verb. The word “miss” is a title for a woman who is not married.
| unmarried | married | ? |
|---|---|---|
|
Miss
|
Mrs.
|
Ms.
|
- Our teacher is Miss Rickenbacker. (She’s not married. She’s single.)
- The principal’s name is Mrs. Fender (She’s married)
- Ms. Gibson is a lawyer. (We don’t know if she’s married or single. Professional women often choose “Ms.”)
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with M page to see the list of all words starting with letter M. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
