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 of loser

• disaster
• failure
• catastrophe
• disappointment

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

Winners and losers won't be remembered for long, while the only thing in any danger is the participants' pride. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026

The Internet went on to become the greatest technology trend in history, but picking winners and losers was very difficult. —R. Scott Raynovich, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

The inevitable capitalistic evolution of the House settlement that allowed for the paying of athletes guaranteed there would be winners and losers, and the winners are – no surprise – the signal-callers. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026

No more picking winners and losers. —Adam Beam, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing loser

• bad/poor loser
• good loser
• sore loser

Rhymes for loser

• boozer
• bruiser
• chooser
• cruiser
• user
• abuser
• accuser
• diffuser
• multiuser