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Definition of "lose" []

  • To be unsuccessful in retaining possession of; mislay: He's always losing his car keys. (verb-transitive)
  • To be deprived of (something one has had): lost her art collection in the fire; lost her job. (verb-transitive)
  • To be left alone or desolate because of the death of: lost his wife. (verb-transitive)
  • To be unable to keep alive: a doctor who has lost very few patients. (verb-transitive)
  • To be unable to keep control or allegiance of: lost his temper at the meeting; is losing supporters by changing his mind. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "lose" in a sentence
  • "The one sure way to lose is to pick Hillary for VP."
  • "If you play it over and over, without a break between repetitions, you’ll probably find that it becomes weird to you—the same way saying “purple” over and over makes the word lose its meaning."
  • "This is what we call a lose / lose situation, because the cops will either have no sense of humor and arrest you for public intoxication, or they will try to fuck with you and snicker amongst themselves while telling you to give it your best shot."