loser

noun

los·​er ˈlü-zər How to pronounce loser (audio)
Synonyms of losernext
1
: a person or thing that loses especially consistently
The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year.
2
: a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed
Don't waste your time on that loser.
also : something doomed to fail or disappoint
… his position is a loser politically … Fred Barnes

Examples of loser in a Sentence

The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year. The loser of the bet has to buy drinks for the winner. Whoever benefits from the new government programs, the real loser will be the American taxpayer. That guy is a born loser.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The public and private markets have decided that infrastructure companies and the top model developers are the AI winners, while software companies are the likely losers, regardless of how strong their businesses may look today. Jordan Novet, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026 Investors are starting to pick AI winners and losers. John Kell, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026 Winning players will be paid $178,000 while losers will receive $103,000. Robert Raiola, Sportico.com, 4 Feb. 2026 Stocks of software companies and others seen as potential losers to competitors powered by artificial intelligence also slumped. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loser

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loser was in 1548

Cite this Entry

“Loser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loser. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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