# misses

/ˈmɪsəz/ (US) · /mˈɪsɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/misses
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. failing to hit or catch

verb · CEFR A1

to fail to hit, catch, or reach something.

For teachers: the third-person singular present indicative of 'miss', meaning to fail to hit, reach, or make contact with a target.

- He always misses the ball when he tries to play tennis.
- The striker frequently misses the goal from close range, which has led the manager to reconsider the starting lineup for the next match.

### 2. feeling sad about absence

verb · CEFR A1

to feel sad because someone you love is not there.

For teachers: the third-person singular present indicative of 'miss', expressing the emotional state of longing for an absent person or place.

- She misses her family a lot since she moved to London.
- Even after several years abroad, he still misses the quiet atmosphere of his hometown during the winter months.

### 3. not attending or noticing

verb · CEFR A2

to not go to an event or not see something.

For teachers: the third-person singular present indicative of 'miss', meaning to fail to attend, notice, or perceive something.

- He often misses the bus because he wakes up late.
- The professor rarely misses a lecture, so his absence today has caused a great deal of confusion among the students.

### 4. plural of the title Miss

noun · CEFR B1 · Formal

the plural form of 'Miss', used for more than one young woman or girl.

For teachers: the plural form of the honorific 'Miss', used when addressing or referring to multiple unmarried women.

- The two Misses Smith were invited to the garden party.
- The invitation was formally addressed to the Misses Thompson, as they were the only members of the family currently residing in the estate.

### 6. clothing sizes

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Technical

a range of clothing sizes for women of average height.

For teachers: a standard range of commercial clothing sizes designed for women of average height and proportions.

- This shop sells dresses in both petites and misses.
- The retailer decided to expand its misses department to accommodate a wider variety of seasonal styles for the average consumer.

## Examples

- The striker had three near misses during the game.
- After several misses at the target, the archer adjusted her grip to improve her accuracy.
- The report tracks both successful connections and total misses to determine the overall efficiency of the new communication satellite system.

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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.