Miss: meaning, definitions and examples

Use 'miss' when you talk about feeling sad or incomplete without someone or something. It's a common word and used in everyday conversations.

• I miss you a lot, come back soon.
• She misses her hometown every day.

Use 'long for' when you emphasize a strong, enduring desire or wish for someone or something that is far away or difficult to obtain. It sounds more formal and poetic.

• He longs for the days when they were together.
• She longs for freedom and adventure.

Use 'yearn for' when you want to express an intense, emotional longing or craving for something. It's often used in a more dramatic or romantic context.

• They yearn for a better life.
• He yearns for her touch every day.

Use 'pine for' to describe a deep, intense feeling of longing, often with a sense of sadness or suffering. It can feel antiquated or literary.

• She pined for her lost love for years.
• The poet pined for the beauty of nature.

When something or someone is not present, or when you fail to reach or hit a target or goal. 'Miss' doesn't necessarily imply a lack of skill, just an unsuccessful attempt.

• She might miss the train if she doesn't leave now
• I miss my old friends a lot

A general term for a wrong action or statement, either intentional or unintentional. 'Mistake' is less formal than 'error' and more general than 'blunder'.

• I made a mistake in the calculation
• It was clearly a mistake to trust him

Commonly used in formal contexts such as technical, academic, or professional environments, referring to a deviation from correctness or accuracy. 'Error' is a neutral term but can imply a fault in judgment or process.

• The IT department found an error in the code
• Her paper had several factual errors

When a significant and often embarrassing mistake is made, usually due to carelessness or a lack of skill. 'Blunder' often has a somewhat severe or negative connotation.

• The diplomat made a huge blunder during the speech
• It was a major blunder to forget the client's name

This term is often used as a polite way to address an unmarried woman, especially in formal situations like at a store or a restaurant.

• Excuse me, miss, can you help me find this item?
• Miss Jones will be handling your case.

This honorific is used when one wants to address an adult woman without specifying her marital status. It's more common in professional and formal contexts.

• Ms. Adams is the new project manager.
• Please send the report to Ms. Thompson.

This neutral term is used to describe a woman who is in her late teens to early thirties. It doesn’t carry any connotations about marital status and can be used in both formal and informal settings.

• She is a young woman with many ambitions.
• The young woman at the reception was very helpful.

This is an old-fashioned term that refers to a young, unmarried woman. It is rarely used in modern everyday conversation but can be found in literature, historical texts, or when discussing traditions.

• The knight promised to rescue the fair maiden.
• In the festival, each village would send a maiden to represent them.