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

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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 In an onstage conversation with the endowment’s CEO, Damon Wilson, Díaz-Balart said Americans can take for granted freedoms other societies have lost. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 The deal lets Zuckerberg sell or transfer shares without losing his voting majority, preserving his control of Meta even if the measure passes. — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 The ascendent Angel Reese Before this season, the Dream had played in three WNBA Finals and lost every single game. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 The Bucs wasted a 16-3 lead in the fourth quarter and lost 26-19 in overtime. — Rob Maaddi, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 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
  • Last month, Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission reported that the largest grid in the country will miss its reliability standard starting next year.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Not only were LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges absent after high-profile summertime trades, but returnees Kon Knueppel and Coby White were also missing because of injury.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of miss
Verb
  • New Jersey won its second straight to improve to 6-4-0, while the Ducks dropped their fifth in a row to fall to 4-6-0.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Clouds mostly clear out over the weekend as Saturday high temperatures reach 59 in the afternoon and overnight lows drop to 37.
    — Hali Smith October 23, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • In most cases where the acquirer is en route to paying a price amounting to a humongous PE, the acquirer’s stock falls.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Orionid meteor shower creates one of the most brilliant displays in the night sky each fall — but this year’s celestial event may have a dimmer showing due to a bright moon.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Treating this salty wastewater is expensive and energy-intensive, so much of it is usually discarded because processing the brine at concentrators costs too much.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Prior to Harmony's launch, the last new room addition to the ISS had occurred in 2001, when Russia's Pirs docking module (since discarded) arrived.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of discard
Verb
  • Successful candidates will then be invited to spend a day at the bank’s offices where they are tested on banking regulation, their use of AI, and their ability to build calculations.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Finnish Government has granted Posiva Oy an operating license for the world’s first permanent underground repository for spent nuclear fuel.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of spend
Verb
  • Never forget that Harkness was once a CIA operative and perhaps served a higher calling before creating his own mercenary network and taking jobs for monied sleazebags like Cantor.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Fire comes where there’s no water, but everyone forgets that.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of forget
Verb
  • The Giants hope the more mobile McCarthy can spark a struggling running game that has faltered with Winston at quarterback.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Analysts noted that the brand was bucking trends among Chinese consumers, where most luxury brands have been faltering this quarter.
    — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • To be fair, the fault here lies equally with the scripts, which dump information without first creating suspense.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Forecasters have said that over a 3-day period, slow moving storms could dump as much as 5-inches of rain on the area.
    — Libby Smith, CBS News, 22 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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