loser

noun

los·​er ˈlü-zər 

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

Synonyms

• bomb
• bummer
• bust
• catastrophe
• clinker
• clunker
• debacle
• débâcle
• disaster
• dud
• failure
• fiasco
• fizzle
• flop
• frost
• lemon
• miss
• shipwreck
• turkey
• washout

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

To be sure, the luxury market downturn has created winners and losers across the industry. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 15 July 2024

The slumping Orioles, losers of five of their past 10, still hold a two-game lead in the division over the struggling Yankees. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024

Alice ducked, won the next heart and saw three more losers: a club and two diamonds. —Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 11 July 2024

Burr came in second in 1800 when the loser of the White House race became VP. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing loser

• bad/poor loser
• good loser
• sore loser