losing
adjective
los·ing ˈlü-ziŋ 
1
: resulting in or likely to result in defeat
a losing battle
a losing poker hand
2
: marked by many losses or more losses than wins
a losing streak
a losing record
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Pittsburgh's 19 consecutive campaigns without a sub-.500 record are now two shy of the Dallas Cowboys' 21-year non-losing run between 1965 and '85 under Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry. —
Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2023 Saturday’s win is A&M’s first since Sept. 24 to end the school’s longest losing streak since 1972. —Dallas News, 19 Nov. 2022 Saturday’s win is A&M’s first since Sept. 24 to end the school’s longest losing streak since 1972. —BostonGlobe.com, 19 Nov. 2022 The Chiefs lost to Buffalo Bills 24-20 Oct. 16 while the 49ers also had a losing game to the Atlanta Falcons 28-14. —Kaylee Remington, cleveland, 23 Oct. 2022 Stanford has the nation’s second longest losing streak to Power 5 opponents at 10 games. —oregonlive, 7 Oct. 2022 The Lions defeated Cherokee 26-20 to start the season, snapping the state’s second longest losing streak at 43 games. —Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 24 Aug. 2022 Fairview now has the state’s longest losing streak at 14 games after falling to Bath County 22-16 on Friday. —Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 21 Aug. 2022 After a 5-7 finish in 2021 that included the longest losing streak in 65 years, the Longhorns finished third in the Big 12 and were in the mix for a berth in the conference championship game in late November. —Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 29 Dec. 2022 See More
Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2023 Saturday’s win is A&M’s first since Sept. 24 to end the school’s longest losing streak since 1972. —Dallas News, 19 Nov. 2022 Saturday’s win is A&M’s first since Sept. 24 to end the school’s longest losing streak since 1972. —BostonGlobe.com, 19 Nov. 2022 The Chiefs lost to Buffalo Bills 24-20 Oct. 16 while the 49ers also had a losing game to the Atlanta Falcons 28-14. —Kaylee Remington, cleveland, 23 Oct. 2022 Stanford has the nation’s second longest losing streak to Power 5 opponents at 10 games. —oregonlive, 7 Oct. 2022 The Lions defeated Cherokee 26-20 to start the season, snapping the state’s second longest losing streak at 43 games. —Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 24 Aug. 2022 Fairview now has the state’s longest losing streak at 14 games after falling to Bath County 22-16 on Friday. —Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 21 Aug. 2022 After a 5-7 finish in 2021 that included the longest losing streak in 65 years, the Longhorns finished third in the Big 12 and were in the mix for a berth in the conference championship game in late November. —Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 29 Dec. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1519, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing losing
Kids Definition
losing
adjective1
: resulting in or likely to result in defeat
a losing battle
2
: marked by many losses or more losses than wins
a losing record
losing
verb
1
as in missing
to be unable to find or have at hand I always lose my keys Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- missing
- forgetting
- misplacing
- mislaying
- passing over
- overlooking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- having
- retaining
- keeping
- holding
- owning
- possessing
- enjoying
- occupying
- finding
- locating
- detecting
- tracking (down)
- scouting (up)
- running down
- descrying
- scaring up
2
as in dropping
to fail to win, gain, or obtain if the team loses this game, they're out of the play-offs Synonyms & Similar Words
- dropping
- forfeiting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- winning
- prevailing (over)
- conquering
- nailing (down)
- triumphing (over)
3
as in falling
to undergo defeat she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens Synonyms & Similar Words
- falling
- faltering
- throwing
- missing
- failing
- bowing out
- forfeiting
- taking the count
- collapsing
- flopping
- tanking
- flunking
- folding
- striking out
- foundering
- bombing
- washing out
- cracking (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- winning
- prevailing
- conquering
- succeeding
- triumphing
- thriving
- flourishing
- prospering
4
as in dumping
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
- dumping
- discarding
- ditching
- unloading
- abandoning
- shedding
- rejecting
- scrapping
- removing
- jettisoning
- tossing
- eliminating
- exorcising
- chucking
- dismissing
- throwing away
- exorcizing
- forsaking
- junking
- deep-sixing
- eighty-sixing
- disposing of
- throwing out
- laying by
- abdicating
- deserting
- cashiering
- pitching
- setting aside
- abolishing
- sluffing (off)
- sloughing (off)
- eradicating
- 86ing
- flinging (off or away)
- casting (off)
- shucking (off)
- annihilating
- extinguishing
- expunging
- kicking out
- liquidating
- extirpating
- wiping out
- exterminating
- stamping (out)
- rooting (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- adopting
- embracing
- using
- retaining
- employing
- utilizing
- holding
- keeping
- taking on
- holding back
5
as in spending
to use up carelessly we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys Synonyms & Similar Words
- spending
- wasting
- squandering
- dissipating
- blowing
- misspending
- throwing away
- lavishing
- running through
- depleting
- fiddling away
- consuming
- impoverishing
- frittering (away)
- splurging
- exhausting
- making ducks and drakes of
- playing ducks and drakes with
- overindulging
- disbursing
- trifling (away)
- expending
- overspending
- indulging
- shooting
- laying out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- conserving
- protecting
- preserving
- saving
- economizing
- skimping
- hoarding
- scrimping
- laying up