Synonyms of losing

losing

verb

present participle of lose

1

as in missing

to be unable to find or have at hand

I always lose my keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• missing
• forgetting
• misplacing
• mislaying
• passing over
• overlooking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• having
• retaining
• keeping
• holding
• owning
• possessing
• enjoying
• occupying
• finding
• locating
• detecting
• tracking (down)
• running down
• scouting (up)
• scaring up
• descrying

2

as in dropping

to fail to win, gain, or obtain

if the team loses this game, they're out of the play-offs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dropping
• forfeiting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• winning
• prevailing (over)
• nailing (down)
• conquering
• triumphing (over)

3

as in falling

to undergo defeat

she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens

Synonyms & Similar Words

• falling
• faltering
• throwing
• missing
• failing
• bowing out
• taking the count
• forfeiting
• collapsing
• flopping
• striking out
• tanking
• flunking
• cracking (up)
• folding
• foundering
• washing out
• bombing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• winning
• prevailing
• conquering
• succeeding
• triumphing
• thriving
• flourishing
• prospering

4

as in dumping

to get rid of as useless or unwanted

we told the recent grad to lose the flashy shirts and dress conservatively for the job interview

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dumping
• discarding
• ditching
• unloading
• abandoning
• shedding
• rejecting
• scrapping
• removing
• eliminating
• jettisoning
• tossing
• exorcising
• casting (off)
• chucking
• sloughing (off)
• flinging (off or away)
• throwing away
• junking
• shucking (off)
• disposing of
• dismissing
• laying by
• deep-sixing
• throwing out
• sluffing (off)
• eighty-sixing
• setting aside
• forsaking
• abdicating
• pitching
• deserting
• cashiering
• eradicating
• abolishing
• kicking out
• expunging
• annihilating
• extinguishing
• wiping out
• exterminating
• extirpating
• liquidating
• stamping (out)
• rooting (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adopting
• using
• embracing
• employing
• utilizing
• retaining
• holding
• keeping
• taking on
• holding back

5

as in spending

to use up carelessly

we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spending
• wasting
• squandering
• dissipating
• blowing
• running through
• throwing away
• lavishing
• trifling (away)
• misspending
• frittering (away)
• fiddling away
• depleting
• consuming
• playing ducks and drakes with
• exhausting
• impoverishing
• disbursing
• overspending
• indulging
• expending
• splurging
• overindulging
• shooting
• laying out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserving
• protecting
• preserving
• saving
• economizing
• skimping
• hoarding
• scrimping
• laying up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of losing

Aside from briefly losing the seat for one term nearly a decade ago, Valadao has hung onto the seat. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

For this year’s show at Compton Verney, Cadogan has taken inspiration from British people who’ve written to her about losing beloved trees in their own gardens, or public spaces. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026

Los Angeles was coming off road wins over Washington and the New York Islanders to start its five-game trip after losing its first six games. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Brits had won World War II, with pluck and skill, but were losing their empire. — Scott Simon, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026

The Golden Bears are 9-0 for the first time since the 2019 team won its first 12 games before losing to eventual champion Eagle’s Landing Christian in the Class A Private semifinals. — Chip Saye, AJC.com, 24 Oct. 2026

But in Chicago, two losing seasons brought public complaints about the roster and talk of going elsewhere. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

In the simulations, neighboring Pine Island Glacier began thickening and advancing, but Thwaites continued losing ice throughout the period, albeit at a declining rate. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

With far-right and far-left candidates in the lead to become France’s next president in the spring, markets are losing confidence that either side will take the painful steps necessary to rein in the deficit. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026