1
as in missing
to be unable to find or have at hand
I always lose my keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in falling
to undergo defeat
she really hates to lose at anything, and inevitably throws tantrums when it happens
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in spending
to use up carelessly
we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of losing
In a 2024 survey by the financial services company Bread Financial, 21% of Americans reported losing friendships over money.
—
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
The two men spoke about how losing their jobs had brought them a sense of relief.
—Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
In August, a single-engine Piper PA-28 crash landed on southbound Interstate 805 in Sorrento Valley after the pilot noticed the engine was sputtering and losing power.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2025
Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for losing
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
The two men spoke about how losing their jobs had brought them a sense of relief.
—Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
In August, a single-engine Piper PA-28 crash landed on southbound Interstate 805 in Sorrento Valley after the pilot noticed the engine was sputtering and losing power.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2025
Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for losing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for losing
Verb
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Was missing a zero in his opening Shield knock — 10s need to be squared for Bancroft to stand a chance.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Information that was missing also caught the attention of the experts Joan consulted.—
Shaun McKinnon,
AZCentral.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Federal officials started only 14 lawsuits over the period, dropping below the lows during the Biden administration, the story stated.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Heat advisories may expand north by midweek, and overnight lows will remain unusually warm, barely dropping below the 70s.—
Brandi D. Addison,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Margins for row-crop producers have thinned amid falling prices and high fertilizer costs.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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For millions of low-wage workers, these state-level adjustments mean a modest but tangible boost in take-home pay—often the difference between meeting basic needs and falling short.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Surveillance footage from the home reportedly caught a person dumping the tampons from the back of a truck while the ex — also a firefighter, according to the News-Journal — was at work.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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This system was dumping rain on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico Tuesday morning and expected to emerge over the Bay of Campeche later in the day.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This summer’s transfer window was a record-setting one, with Premier League teams spending more than £3billion — seven of the 20 clubs paid the highest fee in their history — as the division outspent Europe’s other four major leagues combined.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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In 2024, Detroit Free Press' Georgea Kovanis shared her experiences spending a year, along with photographer Mandi Wright, with Amanda, a woman addicted to drugs who is helping others like her, distributing harm reduction items that have saved lives.—
Detroit Free Press staff,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Many CEOs have voiced their agreement with O’Leary—focusing too much on what’s coming next and forgetting about your current role can be a recipe for career disaster.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
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The robots could distinguish between important, real-time obstacles and unnecessary, outdated information using this human-like forgetting method.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Street is critical of Cornell for not initiating enough changes and corrections to improve Target’s business, which has been faltering for several seasons.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
1 Oct. 2025
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The Lions moved to 2-1, while the Ravens are now 1-2 after faltering late in this game.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Divide plants into clumps with three to five vigorous shoots each, discarding any small, weak, or woody portions.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 Sep. 2025
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Throughout the season, Boy Kavalier’s real intentions begin to take over Neverland Research Island after successfully securing the alien specimens that the USCSS Maginot had been researching in space, discarding his decade-long work on the hybrids.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Losing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/losing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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