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

The returning group, which also includes Jacob Ross, is still feeling the sting of losing to Michigan in the national championship game more than five months ago. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

The Mets allowed four earned runs in an exceptionally sloppy third inning, losing a 3-2 lead. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 Sep. 2026

If the team can solve the remaining challenges, groups of the robots could work alongside larger machines in places where losing an individual robot would not end the mission. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026

This revelation comes shortly after rumors swirled about Beatrice and Eugenie potentially losing their royal titles. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 26 Sep. 2026

This is the 60th anniversary of the 1966 World Series, in which the losing team did not score for the final 33 innings of the series. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

The Wildcats have had two painfully close defeats, falling 24-23 to Tuskegee before losing 34-33 in overtime to unbeaten Benedict. — Wilton Jackson, AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Joe Mack and Griffin Conine homered for the Marlins, who snapped a six-game losing skid against the NL East champion Braves. — ABC News, 25 Sep. 2026

Otherwise, every losing party would have an incentive to scour deliberations for something improper. — Monu Bedi, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026