Idiom idiom
Miss the boat
Meaning
It's too late
Examples
“I forgot to buy tickets and now I have missed the boat.”
“The sale ended yesterday, so you missed the boat if you wanted to get that cheap laptop.”
“Investors who waited too long for the market to drop further eventually missed the boat when prices suddenly began to rise again.”
Origin
disputed origin
disputed origin
Early 20th century; from literally arriving too late to board a departing boat, hence losing the opportunity.
Last updated June 6, 2026