lose

verb

ˈlüz How to pronounce lose (audio)
Definition of losenext
1
as in to miss
to be unable to find or have at hand I always lose my keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to spend
to use up carelessly we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lose One described rushing to cancel a hotel reservation and other travel plans before losing more money. — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 In the spring, Meta lost two high-profile court cases over claims its products, including Instagram, harmed young users. — Shannon Bond, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 Wolf changes the ritual so that the Dragon’s Heritage is dissolved, along with Kuro’s body, and Wolf loses his immortality. — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026 By the spring of 2023, Billy Ray Corbin had lost more than 15 percent of his body weight and was woozy and wobbly on his feet. — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lose
  1. miss
  2. drop
  3. fall
  4. discard
  5. spend
  6. forget
  7. falter
  8. dump
Verb
  • Wilson was back on the practice field Sunday, despite missing much of training camp with an injury, and will likely open the season as Seattle’s third-string running back.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The death toll in last week’s devastating flooding in Nepal has risen to 903 people, officials said Monday, as the number of those listed as missing nearly doubled to 4,247.
    — Rudy Chinchilla, NBC news, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of miss
Verb
  • The informant cut a deal with prosecutors to record Vaughn and testify against him in exchange for drug charges against him being dropped.
    — Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Recent drone deliveries have not been flawless — a video spread across the internet earlier this month after an Amazon drone dropped a Texas customer’s package into her swimming pool.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • The continent's sweltering summer has meanwhile boosted demand for air conditioning and other energy-hungry appliances at a time when demand for gas, widely used for Europe's heating and cooking needs, naturally falls.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Oscar winner paired a leopard-print Givenchy fall 2026 dress and the fashion house’s modern take on T-strap high heels.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Peeling, trimming, and discarding green portions are the most effective measures to ensure a potato is safe to eat.
    — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
  • If that prediction is wrong, the processor discards the work, although traces can remain behind.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of discard
Verb
  • Robert spent the prior six years with Chicago, hitting 38 home runs and stealing 20 bases in 2023, his best season and lone All-Star appearance.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • While higher earners had been spending more using credit cards, the institute said the gap across income classes began narrowing in May of this year.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of spend
Verb
  • Country queen and national treasure Dolly Parton may have physically left the world on Tuesday, but her indelible mark on the world and the industry will never be forgotten.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Benedict Canyon property is an important part of the novel that has already been forgotten here.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of forget
Verb
  • In the rest of the state, Graham prevailed — including in the Charleston area, where former governor and congressman Mark Sanford endorsed Norman after his own Senate campaign faltered.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The same list of conditions is relevant to the debates about our faltering literacy.
    — Christopher Coffman, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • During that interview with Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, teammates attempted to join the celebration, with Guerrero and Straw attempting to dump water over Lukes as part of the team’s tradition.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • These men never anticipated being dumped in a New Jersey ditch so far from home.
    — Jennifer Janofsky, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dump

Phrases Containing lose

Browse Nearby Words

lorn
lose
lose ground
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Cite this Entry

“Lose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lose. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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