loser

noun

los·​er ˈlü-zər How to pronounce loser (audio)
1
: a person or thing that loses especially consistently
The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year.
2
: a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed
Don't waste your time on that loser.
also : something doomed to fail or disappoint
his position is a loser politically Fred Barnes

Examples of loser in a Sentence

The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year. The loser of the bet has to buy drinks for the winner. Whoever benefits from the new government programs, the real loser will be the American taxpayer. That guy is a born loser.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As the probe unfolded, Kelly Dever was one of several low-rent Canton losers who couldn’t keep their stories straight when questioned by the feds. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025 The loser has to do extra conditioning, like pushups. Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025 The houseguests then voted between the two comp losers, and when Julie announced the results, Will was evicted by a vote of 3-2 and became the season’s second jury member. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 11 Sep. 2025 Instead of scrolling Twitter, read something about a cranky, divorced loser, like The Invisibility Cloak by Ge Fei, and translated by Canaan Morse. James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for loser

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loser was in 1548

Cite this Entry

“Loser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loser. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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