What does missable mean?
Missable is an adjective meaning capable of being missed or easy to overlook. It is used especially for a road, turn, exit, or sign that a traveller may fail to notice, usually because its location or warning is unclear. In American English, calling a turn “missable” is a compressed way of saying that drivers are likely to pass it by. The term is also used in sports contexts for a chance, goal, or penalty that can be missed. Missable should not be confused with mailable: the former describes something that may be overlooked, while the latter means capable of being sent by post. The word is the opposite of unmissable, describing something so noticeable that it is unlikely to be overlooked. Its usefulness lies in making a practical hazard vivid: a missable junction is not merely inconvenient but a potential source of wrong turns, delays, and lost time.
adjectiveCapable of being missed or easy to overlook. It is used especially of a road, turn, exit, or sign that a traveller may fail to notice, and it can also describe a chance that can be missed.
- Capable of being overlooked, especially a road, turn, exit, sign, or other feature.
- Capable of being missed or failed, especially a chance, goal, or opportunity.
"The unmarked turn is missable, and several drivers take the wrong road."
"The unmarked turn is missable, and several drivers take the wrong road."
"The striker was given a missable penalty and inexplicably sent it wide."
Missable is the wonderfully practical opposite of unmissable: one disappears into the scenery, while the other demands attention.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does missable come from?
Missable was formed in English by adding the suffix -able to the verb miss. The word miss ultimately comes through Old French from Latin mittere, meaning “to send,” and its meaning developed from failing to reach or meet something to failing to notice or achieve it. Words such as mission, dismiss, omission, and remission belong to the same broad Latin etymological family.
How missable is actually used
The word is generally informal. Its use for roads, exits, and other features that drivers may overlook is especially associated with American English; the phrase “easy to miss” can be more explanatory in general writing.
Easily confused with missable
A missable road or exit is easy to overlook, whereas a mailable item is eligible to be sent by post.