Synonyms of lost

lost 1 of 2

adjective

ˈlȯst 

as in missing

no longer possessed

we searched all over the house for the lost keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• missing
• gone
• misplaced
• mislaid
• forgotten
• absent
• irretrievable
• irrecoverable
• unknown
• castaway

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• retained
• possessed
• owned
• loved
• valued
• protected
• cherished
• treasured
• prized

lost

2 of 2

verb

past tense of lose

1

as in missed

to be unable to find or have at hand

I always lose my keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• missed
• misplaced
• forgot
• mislaid
• passed over
• overlooked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• had
• retained
• owned
• possessed
• occupied
• enjoyed
• kept
• held
• found
• located
• detected
• ran down
• tracked (down)
• scared up
• scouted (up)
• descried

2

as in dropped

to fail to win, gain, or obtain

if the team loses this game, they're out of the play-offs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dropped
• forfeited

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• won
• conquered
• nailed (down)
• prevailed (over)
• triumphed (over)

3

as in fell

to undergo defeat

she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fell
• faltered
• threw
• bowed out
• missed
• took the count
• failed
• forfeited
• collapsed
• flopped
• tanked
• struck out
• cracked (up)
• flunked
• folded
• foundered
• washed out
• bombed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• won
• prevailed
• conquered
• triumphed
• succeeded
• flourished
• thrived
• prospered
• throve

4

as in discarded

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

• discarded
• dumped
• ditched
• unloaded
• abandoned
• scrapped
• rejected
• shed
• jettisoned
• tossed
• removed
• junked
• chucked
• exorcised
• laid by
• flung (off or away)
• threw away
• eliminated
• shucked (off)
• cast (off)
• sloughed (off)
• set aside
• disposed of
• exorcized
• cashiered
• threw out
• sluffed (off)
• dismissed
• deep-sixed
• eighty-sixed
• abdicated
• deserted
• forsook
• 86'd
• abolished
• pitched
• kicked out
• eradicated
• wiped out
• annihilated
• extinguished
• expunged
• exterminated
• extirpated
• liquidated
• stamped (out)
• rooted (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adopted
• used
• employed
• embraced
• utilized
• retained
• took on
• held
• kept
• held back

5

as in spent

to use up carelessly

we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spent
• wasted
• squandered
• dissipated
• threw away
• misspent
• blew
• frittered (away)
• lavished
• ran through
• trifled (away)
• fiddled away
• consumed
• depleted
• made ducks and drakes of
• exhausted
• played ducks and drakes with
• impoverished
• expended
• splurged
• indulged
• disbursed
• laid out
• overspent
• overindulged
• shot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserved
• preserved
• protected
• saved
• skimped
• laid up
• hoarded
• economized
• scrimped

Examples of lost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For the children themselves, Cummins said, returning to learning is no easy task and the lost year will have lasting ramifications. —Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2024

Last year’s No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young – who Carolina acquired by trading wide receiver DJ Moore and multiple first round picks – looked lost, despite a new head coach calling his plays. —Ben Morse, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024

Modify Your Diet Sometimes, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes a lost or hoarse voice. —Sherri Gordon, Health, 1 Sep. 2024

Inspired by a true story, a lost penguin forms an epically strong bond with the fisherman who rescued it from an oil spill. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2024