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

• 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

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

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