ðæt ʃɪp hæz seɪld
Travel
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- A ship has already departed
What does "that ship has sailed" mean?
- The opportunity has passed
- It's too late to change the situation
Examples
- I wanted to apply, but that ship has sailed.
- Apologizing now? That ship has sailed.
- We could have invested earlier, but that ship has sailed.
Origin
From missing a ship's departure—once it sails, you can't catch it. Maritime metaphor for missed opportunities.
How to use it
Indicates finality. Often used to discourage futile efforts.
Similar expressions
too late
opportunity passed
missed the boat
window closed
Opposites
still possible
window open
chance remains
Related idioms
- hit the road
To leave or depart on a journey
- in the same boat
In the same difficult situation as someone else
- miss the boat
To miss an opportunity
- go the extra mile
to make more effort than is expected or required
- a long way to go
much more work or progress is needed before completion
- on the right track
making progress in the correct direction
Use it in a practice answer
Try "that ship has sailed" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.