Lose

/luːz/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to fail to keep or to maintain; to cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense.

If you don't start studying, you might lose your chance to pass the exam.

to suffer the loss of someone or something.

They were devastated when they lost their family pet.

to allow something to escape, especially in a competitive situation.

The team worked hard but ended up losing the championship game.

to become unable to find something.

I always seem to lose my keys when I'm in a hurry.

to weaken or diminish (as in vitality, strength, or effectiveness).

If you don’t exercise regularly, you may lose muscle tone.

Middle English: from Old English 'losian', of unknown origin.

lose track of

to forget the time or where you are

lose one's mind

to become crazy or very upset

lose face

to suffer a loss of respect or reputation

loss

the fact or process of losing something or someone

loser

a person or thing that loses

losing

the process of failing to win or gain something

to fail miserably

He totally lost at that presentation.

to not be able to keep up or succeed

If you don't study, you're gonna lose big time.