lost

1 of 3

past tense and past participle of lose

lost

2 of 3

adjective

ˈlȯst 

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

ˈlȯs(t)-nəs 

noun

lostness

3 of 3

noun

lost·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being lost

that lostness which is the extreme product of individualism

—T. L. Cook

Synonyms of lost

Adjective

• missing
• gone
• misplaced

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

Adjective

But these promises don’t restore lost opportunities, protect those already harmed, or deliver justice. — Katie Uhlaender Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

The lost revenue comes later, when another alcoholic drink no longer feels necessary. — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Freud once helpfully distinguished that healthy thing, mourning, from melancholia—the mourning that never ends, grief that is unable to let the lost object go. — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

For a lot of people, Scottsboro, Alabama, is probably most famous for its legendary store Unclaimed Baggage, which bills itself as the nation’s only seller of lost luggage. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

past participle of lose

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing lost

• get lost
• give (someone) up for lost
• he who hesitates is lost
• long-lost
• lost and found
• lost art
• lost cause
• lost for words
• lost in the mail
• lost in the mists of time
• lost in the shuffle
• lost in thought
• lost my train of thought
• lost on
• lost soul
• lost the initiative
• lost touch
• lost touch with reality
• lost wax
• make up for lost time
• no love lost
• very little love lost

Rhymes for lost

• bossed
• cost
• crossed
• dost
• glossed
• prost
• rost
• tossed
• accost
• crisscrossed
• defrost
• embossed

Kids Definition

lost

adjective

ˈlȯst 

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