lost and found

noun

plural lost and founds
: a repository for items that have been lost by their owners
The lost and found in my high school had been a locked closet adjacent to the front office for which a secretary had the key.Joyce Carol Oates

Examples of lost and found in a Sentence

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.
When asked for directions to the bathroom, lost and found, or a storefront in any language, the hologram gave options. Alexandra Phelps july 3, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 Investigators later found the phone in the ship’s lost and found. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 Medical aid cases, for example, increased by 38 over that span, and seven cases of people lost and found were reported. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026 Desert Diamond Arena lost and found Lost items may be claimed at the Guest Services Center across from Section 115 during an event. Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lost and found

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lost and found was in 1777

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lost and found.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost%20and%20found. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!