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
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
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Remember that Ring Super Bowl commercial, the one about finding the lost dog?
—Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
But if Amazon is using artificial intelligence to autonomously connect a network of cameras to locate a lost dog, what barriers are in place to prevent them from surveilling humans without their knowledge?
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
His work includes the maintenance of all 20 trails, data collection, search and rescue of lost hikers, and the culling of animals that threaten Saba's ecosystem, including rats.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lost
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
The only way this will work is if the lost revenue is made up with another tax on something, which has not been proposed.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Remember that Ring Super Bowl commercial, the one about finding the lost dog?
—Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
But if Amazon is using artificial intelligence to autonomously connect a network of cameras to locate a lost dog, what barriers are in place to prevent them from surveilling humans without their knowledge?
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
His work includes the maintenance of all 20 trails, data collection, search and rescue of lost hikers, and the culling of animals that threaten Saba's ecosystem, including rats.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lost
Cite this Entry
“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lost
adjective1
: 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
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