Lose — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈlüz/

Meaning & Definition of Lose

Lose (verb)

  1. to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place
  2. to suffer deprivation of, part with especially in an unforeseen or accidental manner
  3. to suffer loss through the death or removal of or final separation from (a person)

Lose (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be unable to find or have at hand

    "I always lose my keys"

    similar: mislay, misplace
    related: forget, miss, overlook, pass over
    near: enjoy, have, hold, keep, occupy, own, possess, retain, descry, detect, find, locate, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down)

  2. to fail to win, gain, or obtain

    "if the team loses this game, they're out of the play-offs"

    similar: drop
    related: forfeit
    opposite: nail (down), win
    near: conquer, prevail (over), triumph (over)

  3. to undergo defeat

    "she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens"

    similar: bow out, fall, take the count
    related: falter, tank, throw, forfeit, bomb, collapse, crack (up), fail, flop, flunk, fold, founder, miss, strike out, wash out
    opposite: conquer, prevail, triumph, win
    near: flourish, prosper, succeed, thrive

  4. 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"

    similar: cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, discard, ditch, dump, eighty-six, exorcise, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload, dispose of, set aside
    related: abandon, abdicate, desert, forsake, dismiss, kick out, abolish, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, liquidate, remove, root (out), stamp (out), wipe out
    near: adopt, embrace, take on, employ, use, utilize, hold, hold back, keep, retain

  5. to use up carelessly

    "we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys"

    similar: blow, dissipate, fiddle away, fritter (away), lavish, misspend, run through, spend, squander, throw away, trifle (away), waste, play ducks and drakes with
    related: splurge, consume, deplete, exhaust, impoverish, overspend, shoot, indulge, overindulge, disburse, expend, lay out
    opposite: conserve
    near: economize, scrimp, skimp, preserve, protect, save, hoard, lay up

Related Entry: Lose ground (phrase)

Lose ground is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose ground, not for lose.

  1. to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)

    "We need a new strategy because we keep losing ground to the other team."

    similar: back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw, give ground, give way
    related: flee, fly, flinch, recoil, shrink, chicken (out), bow out, back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down, detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away, abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate
    opposite: advance
    near: beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

Related Entry: Lose heart (phrase)

Lose heart is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose heart, not for lose.

  1. to lose all hope or confidence

    "He told his friend not to lose heart because they might still win the game."

    similar: despair, despond
    related: give up, surrender, yield, darken, sadden, agonize, bleed, grieve, hurt, mourn, sorrow, suffer, discourage, dishearten, dispirit
    opposite: brighten, cheer (up), perk (up)
    near: exult, rejoice, assure, encourage, hearten, reassure, hope

Related Entry: Lose it (phrase)

Lose it is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose it, not for lose.

  1. to yield to mental or emotional stress

    "She lost it when she was told there would be yet another delay."

    similar: break down, break up, crack, flip (out) (slang), freak (out), melt down, wig (out) (slang), blow one's cool, fall apart, go off the deep end, go to pieces
    related: choke

Related Entry: Lose one's cool (phrase)

Lose one's cool is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose one's cool, not for lose.

  1. to become very angry

    "He lost his cool when he couldn't beat the game."

    similar: blow up, flare (up), flip (out) (slang), blow a gasket, blow one's cool, blow one's stack, blow one's top, fly into a rage, fly off the handle, forget oneself, go ballistic, have a fit, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, lose one's temper
    related: anger, fulminate, rage, rant, rave, snap, snarl, sputter, storm, tee off, vent, vituperate, bristle, burn, foam, fume, glare, glower, seethe, sizzle, smolder, steam, warm, burst, explode, flare (out), flash, inflame, madden
    opposite: calm (down), simmer down
    near: chill out (slang), cool (off or down), relax, hush, quiet (down)

Related Entry: Lose one's heart (to) (phrase)

Lose one's heart (to) is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose one's heart (to), not for lose.

  1. to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for

    "I was a salesman before I lost my heart to woodworking."

    similar: adore, cherish, love, worship, carry a torch (for), fall for
    related: adulate, canonize, deify, idealize, idolize, revere, reverence, venerate, delight (in), dote (on)
    opposite: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe
    near: antagonize, displease, disapprove (of), disfavor, dislike, disgust, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off

Related Entry: Lose one's lunch (phrase)

Lose one's lunch is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose one's lunch, not for lose.

  1. to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth

    "After riding the rollercoaster, I felt like I was going to lose my lunch."

    similar: barf, gag, heave, hurl, puke, retch, spew, spit up, throw up, upchuck, vomit, toss one's cookies
    related: disgorge, regurgitate, eject, expel, nauseate

Related Entry: Lose one's temper (phrase)

Lose one's temper is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose one's temper, not for lose.

  1. to become very angry

    "He regretted losing his temper over something so small."

    similar: blow up, flare (up), flip (out) (slang), blow a gasket, blow one's cool, blow one's stack, blow one's top, fly into a rage, fly off the handle, forget oneself, go ballistic, have a fit, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, lose one's cool
    related: anger, fulminate, rage, rant, rave, snap, snarl, sputter, storm, tee off, vent, vituperate, bristle, burn, foam, fume, glare, glower, seethe, sizzle, smolder, steam, warm, burst, explode, flare (out), flash, inflame, madden
    opposite: calm (down), simmer down
    near: chill out (slang), cool (off or down), relax, hush, quiet (down)

Related Entry: Lose (to) (verb)

Lose (to) is a different word from Lose. The synonyms below are for lose (to), not for lose.

  1. as in give up, go down

    similar: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out
    opposite: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get, get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Lose

The most common words with a similar meaning to Lose:

mislay, misplace, drop, bow out, fall, cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, discard, ditch, dump, eighty-six, exorcise, fling (off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload, blow, dissipate, fiddle away, fritter (away), lavish, misspend, run through, spend, squander, trifle (away), waste, take the count

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Lose

Words with the opposite meaning of Lose:

nail (down), win, conquer, prevail, triumph, conserve

Related Words for Lose

forget, miss, overlook, pass over, forfeit, falter, tank, throw, bomb, collapse, crack (up), fail, flop, flunk, fold, founder, strike out, wash out, abandon, abdicate, desert, forsake, dismiss, kick out, abolish, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, expunge, exterminate

Near Antonyms of Lose

enjoy, have, hold, keep, occupy, own, possess, retain, descry, detect, find, locate, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), prevail (over), triumph (over), flourish, prosper, succeed, thrive, adopt, embrace, take on, employ, use, utilize, hold back, economize

Word Forms of Lose

Inflections: lost, losing, loses

Derived words: losable (adjective), losableness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Lose

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 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Lose

Words & Phrases Containing Lose

lose ground, lose it, lose-lose, lose one's heart, lose out, lose the plot, lose all self-control, lose consciousness, lose count

Frequently Asked Questions about Lose

What does "Lose" mean?

"Lose" means to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place. As a verb, it is defined as: to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Lose"?

Other words for "Lose" include mislay, misplace, drop, bow out, fall, cashier, cast (off) and chuck. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Lose" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Lose"?

There are 92 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Lose". Common alternatives include mislay, misplace, drop, bow out, fall, cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six and discard.

What is the opposite of "Lose"?

Antonyms of "Lose" include nail (down), win, conquer, prevail, triumph and conserve. Near antonyms include enjoy, have, hold and keep.

How do you use "Lose" in a sentence?

Examples of "Lose" in a sentence: "I always lose my keys"; "if the team loses this game, they're out of the play-offs"; "she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens".

Is "Lose" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Lose" is a verb.

Is "Lose" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Lose" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Lose"?

"Lose" is pronounced /ˈlüz/.