The phrase "cornered the market" refers to a situation where a company or individual has gained complete control over a particular industry or product. Some antonyms for this phrase could be "lacked influence," "missed the opportunity," "fell short," or "lost ground." These terms indicate that the individual or company failed to take advantage of a particular opportunity and did not gain complete dominance over a market. In contrast to "cornering the market," these antonyms suggest a lack of control or influence, which could result in missed profits or outcomes that fall short of expectations.