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
Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Yet despite the lost sleep, orangutans still often choose to build their nightly nests in close proximity to each other.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 25 June 2025
Don’t attract attention by looking confused, lost, or distracted.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 24 June 2025
The devices store owners’ contact information in case their pets become lost.
—Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025
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.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Cradled in the English Channel, Guernsey rises like the lost city of Atlantis—a storybook island and self-governing British Crown dependency, with a rich tapestry of ancient history and wild beauty—far beyond the old tourist poster of sunny cream teas.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Yet despite the lost sleep, orangutans still often choose to build their nightly nests in close proximity to each other.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 25 June 2025
Don’t attract attention by looking confused, lost, or distracted.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 24 June 2025
The devices store owners’ contact information in case their pets become lost.
—Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lost
Cite this Entry
“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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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