lost

1 of 2

past tense and past participle of lose

lost

2 of 2

adjective

1
: not made use of, won, or claimed
a lost opportunity
2
a
: no longer possessed
a lost reputation
b
: no longer known
a lost tunnel
3
: ruined or destroyed physically or morally : desperate
a lost soul
4
a
: taken away or beyond reach or attainment : denied
regions lost to the faith
b
: insensible, hardened
lost to shame
5
a
: unable to find the way
b
: no longer visible
lost in the crowd
c
: lacking assurance or self-confidence : helpless
lost without his glasses
6
: rapt, absorbed
lost in reverie
7
: not appreciated or understood : wasted
Their jokes were lost on me.
8
: obscured or overlooked during a process or activity
lost in translation
9
: hopelessly unattainable : futile
a lost cause
lostness noun

Examples of lost in a Sentence

Adjective He was looking for his lost keys. Many have tried to find the ruins of the lost city. We took a wrong turn and got lost. Hold my hand. I don't want you to get lost. He has been trying to recapture his lost youth. The original music is lost to us forever. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The narrative threatens the city’s recovery of lost convention and tourism traffic. Heather Knight Jim Wilson, New York Times, 26 Sep. 2023 And the one that didn't result in a punt ended in a lost fumble. Ryan Morik, Fox News, 23 Sep. 2023 Each bag also comes with a latch lock and has a Tumi tracer, a unique serial number that helps reunite travelers with their lost or stolen items. Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2023 Tessa apologized for the lost bag and told him to buy replacements for everything lost, including a new bag, and to be sure to save the receipts for reimbursement. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023 The lost boy, whose name was Bill, was sixteen years old. David Owen, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2023 Anderson Economic Group estimated that a 10-day strike would cost $5.6 billion in lost output and push swing-state Michigan into recession. Irving Mejia-Hilario, Dallas News, 15 Sep. 2023 That leaves automakers with limited means to plan for lost production. David Welch, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023 But the drive ended on a lost fumble by Jerome Ford. Tim Bielik, cleveland, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

past participle of lose

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of lost was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lost

Cite this Entry

“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

lost

adjective
1
: not used, won, or claimed
lost opportunities
2
: no longer possessed or known
a long lost uncle
3
: ruined or destroyed physically or morally
4
: unable to find the way
a lost puppy
5
: having the mind absorbed and not aware of surroundings
lost in daydreams
6
: futile
a lost cause

Legal Definition

lost

adjective
1
: not made use of, won, or claimed
lost opportunity costs
2
: unintentionally gone out of or missing from one's possession or control
3
: ruined or destroyed physically
also : in an unknown physical condition or location
a lost ship

More from Merriam-Webster on lost

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