lost and found

noun

plural lost and founds
: a repository for items that have been lost by their owners
The lost and found in my high school had been a locked closet adjacent to the front office for which a secretary had the key.—Joyce Carol Oates

Examples of lost and found in a Sentence

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.
Recorded on a 4-track tape, these songs bristle with the energy of love lost and found. — David Harris, SPIN, 24 Mar. 2026 Investigators later found the phone in the ship’s lost and found. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 When asked for directions to the bathroom, lost and found, or a storefront in any language, the hologram gave options. — Alexandra Phelps july 3, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 The tale of love lost and found stars soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor Rolando Villazón. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lost and found

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lost and found was in 1777

Rhymes for lost and found

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Browse Nearby Words

lost
lost and found
lost art
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Cite this Entry

“Lost and found.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost%20and%20found. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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