lose
lose
lu:z
looz
British pronunciation
/luːz/

Definition & Meaning of "lose"in English

to lose
01

to be deprived of or stop having someone or something

Transitive: to lose sth
to lose definition and meaning
example
Examples
She lost her hearing as a result of the loud explosion.
1.1

to fail or cause someone to fail to get someone or something

Ditransitive: to lose sb sth
example
Examples
Her procrastination may lose her the scholarship.
1.2

to waste or fail to have good use of time or an opportunity

Transitive: to lose time or opportunity
example
Examples
Do n't lose any more time; start your homework now.
1.3

to experience a reduction or decrease in the quantity or amount of something

Transitive: to lose sth
example
Examples
She 's been working hard to lose excess body fat.
02

to not know the location of a thing or person and be unable to find it

Transitive: to lose sb/sth
to lose definition and meaning
example
Examples
I ca n't find my phone; I think I 've lost it.
2.1

to become so immersed in one's thoughts, fantasies, or imagination that one temporarily disconnects from the present reality

Transitive: to lose oneself in sth
example
Examples
She often lost herself in daydreaming, envisioning a world of adventure.
2.2

to escape from or get rid of someone or something

Transitive: to lose sb
example
Examples
They lost the paparazzi by taking a secret exit.
2.3

to fail to understand, hear, or see

Transitive: to lose sth
example
Examples
I lost track of the conversation amid the noise.
2.4

to cause someone to become confused and be no longer able to understand or follow an explanation or argument

Transitive: to lose sb
example
Examples
His explanation became so technical that he lost me completely.
2.5

to become directionally confused or disoriented, or unable to find one's intended path, direction, or location

Transitive: to lose one's way
example
Examples
The heavy snowfall made it difficult to see, and we lost our way.
2.6

to deviate or stray from a particular belief or ideology one once followed

Transitive: to lose one's ideological path
example
Examples
After years of questioning, he lost his way in the religion he was raised in.
03

to not win in a race, fight, game, etc.

Intransitive: to lose to an opponent
Transitive: to lose a competition
to lose definition and meaning
example
Examples
They lost the boxing match in the final round.
3.1

to cause someone to not win in a race, fight, game, etc.

Ditransitive: to lose sb a competition
Transitive: to lose a competition for sb
example
Examples
His missed penalty kick lost the game for his team.
04

to be deprived of someone because they are no longer alive

Transitive: to lose sb
example
Examples
She lost her mother to cancer.
4.1

(of a pregnant person) to suffer the loss of a baby through miscarriage or during childbirth

Transitive: to lose a baby
example
Examples
Losing a baby in childbirth is a tragic experience for any family.
4.2

to suffer death or to pass away

Transitive: to lose one's life
example
Examples
In the fire, they lost their lives while trying to save others.
05

to earn less than one's expenditure, especially in business

Transitive: to lose money
example
Examples
The store is losing money during the slow season.
06

to remove a particular part or feature of something that is considered unnecessary or unwanted

Transitive: to lose a part of something
example
Examples
The editor suggested we lose the lengthy introduction to make the article more concise.
07

(of clocks or watches) to operate slower than what is normal and to show time behind the correct time

Transitive: to lose time
example
Examples
My watch loses five minutes every week; I need to get it fixed.
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