loser

noun

los·​er ˈlü-zər How to pronounce loser (audio)
Synonyms of losernext
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.
Many people envision salary discussions as adversarial encounters with winners and losers. Kwame Christian Esq, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Analyst Ben Snider and his colleagues warn that the slowing growth rate of AI capex will force investors to choose winners and losers. Jim Edwards, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026 Picking winners and losers, heroes and villains, pathways to success and failure, generates excitement for an event and manufactures a sense of urgency for maximal viewing pleasure. Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026 The Standard & Poor’s 500 index edges past its all-time high Tuesday as stocks split between winners and losers amid mixed corporate profit reports from major companies. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026 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 5 Feb. 2026.

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