lose
verb
ˈlüz 
lost ˈlȯst ; losing ˈlü-ziŋ
; losing ˈlü-ziŋ transitive verb
1
a
: to bring to destruction —used chiefly in passive construction
the ship was lost on the reef
b
: damn
if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 
Matthew 16:26 (King James Version)
Matthew 16:26 (King James Version)2
: to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place
lost his glove
3
: to suffer deprivation of : part with especially in an unforeseen or accidental manner
lost his leg in an auto accident
4
a
: to suffer loss through the death or removal of or final separation from (a person)
lost a son in the war
b
: to fail to keep control of or allegiance (see allegiance sense 2) of
lose votes
lost his temper
5
a
: to fail to use : let slip by : waste
no time to lose
b(1)
: to fail to win, gain, or obtain
lose a prize
lose a contest
(2)
: to undergo defeat in
lost every battle
c
: to fail to catch with the senses or the mind
lost what she said
6
: to cause the loss of
7
: to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain
lost my balance
8
a
: to cause to miss one's way or bearings
lost himself in the maze of streets
b
: to make (oneself) withdrawn from immediate reality
lost herself in daydreaming
9
a
: to wander or go astray from
lost his way
b
: to draw away from : outstrip
lost his pursuers
10
: to fail to keep in sight or in mind
lost the thief in the crowded street
11
: to free oneself from : get rid of
dieting to lose weight
12
slang : regurgitate, vomit —often used in such phrases as lose one's lunch
intransitive verb
1
: to undergo deprivation of something of value
investors lost heavily
2
: to undergo defeat
lose with good grace
3
of a timepiece : to run slow
losable
ˈlü-zə-bəl
adjective losableness noun
Synonyms
- mislay
- misplace
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She's always losing her gloves. Hold my hand: I don't want to lose you. We lost the game by a score of 4–2. He lost his title in the rematch. The team lost three games but won the next four. The team lost in the finals. an athlete known for losing with grace He hates to lose when money is involved. How could she play that well and still lose? The country lost its independence 50 years ago. See More
Recent Examples on the Web If the parties can’t agree to a plan for Griggs to pay his taxes, the struggling farmer could lose it all — his land, his business, his home. Deanna Pan, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 After that, moms in many states lose the coverage unless their income levels are extremely low. Tom Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 After that, moms in many states lose the coverage unless their income levels are extremely low. Tom Murphy, ajc, 5 Sep. 2022 Every year their batteries lose up to 4 watts of power due to the decay of plutonium-238, the radioisotope that fuels them. Sumeet Kulkarni, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2022 But in the course of three generations the new rulers lose their virtue. Adam Kuper, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022 The Lions also lose county co-Player of the Year Jordan Townsend, but Grace Young should step up to lead the offense after recording six goals and two assists last year. Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2022 As a pumpkin matures, the rind will lose its sheen and become dull or matte-like. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2022 And after years of talking to other veterans, friends of her uncle and DPAA officials, without any trace of Yanez, Shreeve said her mother began to lose hope. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 30 Aug. 2022 See More
Deanna Pan, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 After that, moms in many states lose the coverage unless their income levels are extremely low. Tom Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 After that, moms in many states lose the coverage unless their income levels are extremely low. Tom Murphy, ajc, 5 Sep. 2022 Every year their batteries lose up to 4 watts of power due to the decay of plutonium-238, the radioisotope that fuels them. Sumeet Kulkarni, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2022 But in the course of three generations the new rulers lose their virtue. Adam Kuper, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022 The Lions also lose county co-Player of the Year Jordan Townsend, but Grace Young should step up to lead the offense after recording six goals and two assists last year. Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2022 As a pumpkin matures, the rind will lose its sheen and become dull or matte-like. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2022 And after years of talking to other veterans, friends of her uncle and DPAA officials, without any trace of Yanez, Shreeve said her mother began to lose hope. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 30 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English losian to perish, lose, from los destruction; akin to Old English lēosan to lose; akin to Old Norse losa to loosen, Latin luere to atone for, Greek lyein to loosen, dissolve, destroy
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing lose
Kids Definition
lose
verb
ˈlüz
lost
ˈlȯst
; losing ˈlü-ziŋ
1
: to be unable to find or have at hand
I lost my keys.
2
: to become deprived of
She lost her job.
3
: to become deprived of by death
She lost her grandfather.
4
: to fail to use : waste
There's no time to lose.
5
: to fail to win
They lost the game.
6
: to fail to keep
She lost her balance.
He lost control.
Medical Definition
lose
transitive verb
ˈlüz
lost ˈlȯst ; losing
; losing 1
: to become deprived of or lacking in
lose consciousness
lost her sense of smell
also : to part with in an unforeseen or accidental manner
lose a leg in an auto crash
2
a
: to suffer deprivation through the death or removal of or final separation from (a person)
lost a son in the war
b
: to fail to keep (a patient) from dying
have lost many fewer pneumonia cases since penicillin came into use
3
: to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain
lose one's balance
4
: to free oneself from : get rid of
dieting to lose weight
lose
verb
1
as in to miss
to be unable to find or have at hand I always lose my keys Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- miss
- forget
- mislay
- misplace
- pass over
- overlook
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- retain
- have
- possess
- enjoy
- hold
- keep
- occupy
- own
- find
- locate
- detect
- track (down)
- run down
- scare up
- scout (up)
- descry
2
as in to drop
to fail to win, gain, or obtain if the team loses this game, they're out of the play-offs Synonyms & Similar Words
- drop
- forfeit
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- win
- prevail (over)
- nail (down)
- triumph (over)
- conquer
3
as in to fall
to undergo defeat she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens Synonyms & Similar Words
- fall
- falter
- throw
- miss
- fail
- bow out
- forfeit
- take the count
- collapse
- tank
- flop
- strike out
- fold
- flunk
- wash out
- founder
- bomb
- crack (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- win
- prevail
- triumph
- succeed
- conquer
- thrive
- flourish
- prosper
4
as in to discard
to get rid of as useless or unwanted we told the recent grad to lose the flashy shirts and dress conservatively for the job interview Synonyms & Similar Words
- discard
- dump
- ditch
- unload
- abandon
- scrap
- shed
- reject
- jettison
- toss
- remove
- chuck
- eliminate
- junk
- exorcise
- throw away
- set aside
- throw out
- forsake
- lay by
- exorcize
- dispose of
- dismiss
- sluff (off)
- cashier
- abdicate
- slough (off)
- deep-six
- shuck (off)
- pitch
- abolish
- fling (off or away)
- desert
- eradicate
- kick out
- cast (off)
- eighty-six
- annihilate
- wipe out
- 86
- extinguish
- expunge
- liquidate
- exterminate
- extirpate
- stamp (out)
- root (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- adopt
- use
- embrace
- retain
- take on
- employ
- utilize
- keep
- hold
- hold back
5
as in to spend
to use up carelessly we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys Synonyms & Similar Words
- spend
- waste
- squander
- misspend
- blow
- dissipate
- throw away
- lavish
- run through
- deplete
- consume
- fiddle away
- splurge
- fritter (away)
- impoverish
- expend
- make ducks and drakes of
- trifle (away)
- indulge
- overindulge
- exhaust
- play ducks and drakes with
- overspend
- disburse
- lay out
- shoot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conserve
- protect
- preserve
- save
- economize
- skimp
- hoard
- scrimp
- lay up
Phrases Containing lose
- the old guard
- the old heave-ho
- the old school
- the Old Testament
- the old world
- the oldest profession
- the Olympic Games
- the Olympics
- the one about
- the one and only
- the only (person or thing) for
- the only for
- the only game in town
- the only person or thing for
- the only thing
- the open air
- the open road
- the open sea
- the opera
- the opposite sex
- the opposite side of the coin
- the opposition
- the oppressed
- the orchestra
- the order of the day