1
: not made use of, won, or claimed
a lost opportunity
2
a
: no longer possessed
a lost reputation
b
: no longer known
a lost tunnel
3
: ruined or destroyed physically or morally : desperate
a lost soul
4
a
: taken away or beyond reach or attainment : denied
regions lost to the faith
b
: insensible, hardened
lost to shame
5
a
: unable to find the way
b
: no longer visible
lost in the crowd
c
: lacking assurance or self-confidence : helpless
lost without his glasses
7
: not appreciated or understood : wasted
Their jokes were lost on me.
8
: obscured or overlooked during a process or activity
lost in translation
9
: hopelessly unattainable : futile
a lost cause
Examples of lost in a Sentence
Adjective
He was looking for his lost keys.
Many have tried to find the ruins of the lost city.
We took a wrong turn and got lost.
Hold my hand. I don't want you to get lost.
He has been trying to recapture his lost youth.
The original music is lost to us forever.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tucker Reals, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Subtlety proved the best choice, requiring fewer prosthetics but multiple stages of makeup to account for eye swelling, a broken nose and a lost tooth.
—Bill Desowitz, HollywoodReporter, 13 Dec. 2025
What Happens After 90 Days Once the 90-day period passes and the owner of a lost bag still hasn’t been located, Oshan says airlines essentially write off the bag as a loss.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2025
Today, after more than four decades, the singer-songwriter and music mom has released her lost album, Pebe Sebert.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lost
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Australian authorities have not confirmed the identities of any victims, but friends, family and media reports started to build a picture of the lost lives, among them a 10-year-old girl, and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor.
—Tucker Reals, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025
Subtlety proved the best choice, requiring fewer prosthetics but multiple stages of makeup to account for eye swelling, a broken nose and a lost tooth.
—Bill Desowitz, HollywoodReporter, 13 Dec. 2025
What Happens After 90 Days Once the 90-day period passes and the owner of a lost bag still hasn’t been located, Oshan says airlines essentially write off the bag as a loss.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2025
Today, after more than four decades, the singer-songwriter and music mom has released her lost album, Pebe Sebert.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lost
Cite this Entry
“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lost
adjective1
: not used, won, or claimed
lost opportunities
2
: no longer possessed or known
a long lost uncle
3
: ruined or destroyed physically or morally
4
: unable to find the way
a lost puppy
5
: having the mind absorbed and not aware of surroundings
lost in daydreams
6
: futile
a lost cause
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