LOSING GROUND Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

losing ground

phrase

present participle of lose ground

as in retreating

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.

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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 losing ground Somber postgame interviews have become the norm in recent weeks as Inter Miami is stuck in a rut, on a five-game winless streak and losing ground in the Supporters Shield race. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 Nike is losing ground to newer competitors, its products haven’t created the same excitement and consumers aren’t exactly eager to pay more for sneakers right now. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Yet in the global race to develop and commercialize advanced therapies, Europe has been steadily losing ground. — Kimberley Jane Barnes, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Hollywood is losing ground to technology platforms whose algorithms reward the loudest voices. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 In contrast, European countries are losing ground, with access to 70% or less of novel drugs, often with delays of a year or more. — Roderick Wong, Fortune, 25 July 2026 Others risk losing ground as AI gets trapped in pilots that never scale, widening the performance gap between early adopters and laggards – and creating a new digital divide inside every industry. — Nigel Vaz, Time, 20 July 2026 Burns was losing ground quickly on the front nine with three straight bogeys, none more damaging than a pitch to the reachable par-four fifth hole that went over the back of the green. — Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026 Burns was losing ground quickly on the front nine with three straight bogeys, none more damaging than a pitch to the reachable par-4 fifth hole that went over the back of the green. — Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for losing ground

giving way

Phrase

The war has unfolded in fits and starts, with bursts of overwhelming American firepower repeatedly giving way to promises that diplomacy might bring it to an end.

— Steven Beynon, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Kevin Terrell / Getty Images Earlier this week, Harbaugh announced that starting quarterback Justin Herbert and the first-team unit will play for just one opening series before giving way to backups.

— Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of giving way

Browse Nearby Words

losing

losing ground

losing heart

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“Losing ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/losing%20ground. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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