1
as in missing
to be unable to find or have at hand
I always lose my keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Prime Minister Micheál Martin said Friday that the country was on the brink of turning tankers away during a global shortage and was in jeopardy of losing its oil supply.
—
Brian Melley, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
The state is losing jobs at a rate of 9,000 over a 12-month period.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Freshman Keaton Wagler had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing the championship game to North Carolina in 2005.
—CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Coughlin made it to the final pairing before losing to Madelene Sagstrom.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for losing
Brian Melley, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
The state is losing jobs at a rate of 9,000 over a 12-month period.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Freshman Keaton Wagler had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing the championship game to North Carolina in 2005.
—CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Coughlin made it to the final pairing before losing to Madelene Sagstrom.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for losing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for losing
Verb
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Susan Butts Tiffani McInnis endured the typical teenage growing pains under the shadow of her mother's missing person investigation.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The remains of one of his two daughters were still missing, believed to be trapped under rubble, as search operations concluded Saturday, three days after the attacks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Friday, officials said the water levels were dropping after reaching less than 5 inches.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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There was also the City Council’s jaw-dropping decision in November to raise the annual fees for the two subsidized valet parking spots every hotel gets by 789% — from $634 to $5,000.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By 2025, Anderson — then 59 and nearing completion of her bachelor’s degree — was failing classes and falling behind on bills.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) says lead paint is falling from six Baltimore-area bridges and contaminating waterways.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That goal came moments after a penalty to Oliver Kapanen expired, a penalty that came as a result of Arber Xhekaj failing to gain the red line before dumping the puck in to get a change in, resulting in an icing.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
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He was then seen flying over large crowds of protestors and dumping brown liquid on them in what appeared to be Times Square in New York City.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The airline was also trying to bring in higher-spending customers with bigger seats and bundled fares to compete with rival airlines.—
Bri Buckley,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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On Wednesday, Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced that the Netherlands was spending 248 million euros ($292 million) on drones for the Ukrainian military.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Overlooking Year-Round Appeal Another mistake Miller sees is forgetting to plant for visual interest throughout the year.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Not forgetting that the whole thing can fit into a suitcase.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After faltering in the crucial moments of its first postseason telecast, the stakes have now been raised for upcoming presentations.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
15 Apr. 2026
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Dubai, in particular, finds its position as the crown jewel of Middle East’s tourism faltering as its airports have been forced to shut temporarily during the conflict.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Refresh plants in fall by harvesting and discarding the outer leaves to initiate new growth.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
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Keita Design’s young woodworkers use sustainable practices to create unique pieces, keeping natural imperfections and warps instead of discarding them as waste.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Losing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/losing. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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