1
: to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place
lost his glove
2
: to suffer deprivation of : part with especially in an unforeseen or accidental manner
lost his leg in an auto accident
3
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
4
5
: to cause the loss of
6
: to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain
lost my balance
7
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: to make (oneself) withdrawn from immediate reality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
8
a
: to wander or go astray from
lost his way
b
: to draw away from : outstrip
lost his pursuers
9
: to fail to keep in sight or in mind
lost the thief in the crowded street
10
: to free oneself from : get rid of
dieting to lose weight
11
slang
: regurgitate, vomit
—often used in such phrases as lose one's lunch
12
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)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
losableness
noun
see also lose ground, lose it, lose one's heart
Examples of lose in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Razorbacks had six games decided by one score and lost them all.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 31 Dec. 2025
California motor vehicle officials have extended commercial driver’s licenses for approximately 17,000 immigrant truckers at risk of losing work next week, following a federal review that raised questions about how the state handled expiration dates for non-citizen drivers.
—Sacbee.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Flags will be flown at half-staff across the state this week to honor the lives lost in the attack.
—CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
Having both lost their former spouses and swearing off dating, the couple never expected to open their hearts again.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lose
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 31 Dec. 2025
California motor vehicle officials have extended commercial driver’s licenses for approximately 17,000 immigrant truckers at risk of losing work next week, following a federal review that raised questions about how the state handled expiration dates for non-citizen drivers.
—Sacbee.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Flags will be flown at half-staff across the state this week to honor the lives lost in the attack.
—CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
Having both lost their former spouses and swearing off dating, the couple never expected to open their hearts again.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lose
Cite this Entry
“Lose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lose. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lose
verb1
: ruin entry 2 sense 1, destroy
the ship was lost on the reef
2
: to be unable to find or have at hand : mislay
lose a billfold
3
: to become deprived of especially accidentally or by death
lose his eyesight
lost her son by drowning
4
a
: to fail to use to advantage : waste
no time to lose
b
: to fail to win, gain, or obtain
lose a contest
c
: to fail to catch with the senses or the mind
lost part of what was said
5
: to cause the loss of
one careless statement lost her the election
6
: to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain
lost his balance
7
a
: to miss or cause to miss one's way or bearings
lost herself in the woods
b
: to make oneself completely absorbed by one specific thing
lost himself in the music
8
: to leave behind by going faster or farther
lost their pursuers
9
: to free oneself from : get rid of
dieting to lose some weight
loser
noun
Medical Definition
lose
transitive verb
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
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