# the one that got away

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-one-that-got-away
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A former romantic partner who retains a special place in one's memory and whose loss one regrets.

## Examples

- He still thinks about the one that got away.
- Even after years of marriage, he sometimes wonders about the one that got away during his college years.
- In the quiet moments of his later years, he often found himself haunted by the memory of the one that got away, a love lost to circumstance and youthful hesitation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.