loser

noun

los·​er ˈlü-zər How to pronounce loser (audio)
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.
Hochul did not want to back a loser, and with Mamdani winning, the Democrats locally and nationally need to show party unity, and that should have also figured into Jeffries's decision. Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025 The losers in this round are Toby and our not-so-perfect Tom, who struggles the entire episode, which is strange for a man who is that good-looking. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 He was fraudulently declared the loser and forced into exile by Maduro. Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025 And this time, unlike last year with the Steelers, his team walked away losers. Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025 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 30 Oct. 2025.

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