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
Amrhein said losing to a local rival in the semifinals was especially painful, made harder by the close bonds with the senior class.
—
Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
Some of these scenarios would be more painful than others for the Bulls, who likely will sink next season into another losing endeavor — perhaps by choice, perhaps by the sheer reality of their roster’s lack of talent.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Despite a sharper start and a spirited third-quarter push, Brooklyn fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-86 at Paycom Center, slipping to 15-40 and extending its losing streak to three games.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Sewald came to the Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners in a trade deadline deal in 2023 and helped the D-backs make a surprise run to the Fall Classic before losing to the Texas Rangers in five games.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for losing
Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
Some of these scenarios would be more painful than others for the Bulls, who likely will sink next season into another losing endeavor — perhaps by choice, perhaps by the sheer reality of their roster’s lack of talent.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Despite a sharper start and a spirited third-quarter push, Brooklyn fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-86 at Paycom Center, slipping to 15-40 and extending its losing streak to three games.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Sewald came to the Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners in a trade deadline deal in 2023 and helped the D-backs make a surprise run to the Fall Classic before losing to the Texas Rangers in five games.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for losing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for losing
Verb
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California search-and-rescue teams have recovered the bodies of all nine missing skiers killed Tuesday in a devastating avalanche in a remote region of Sierra Nevada north of Lake Tahoe.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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The Nets opened with a level of engagement missing a night earlier.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This jaw-dropping arts center also hosts plays, dance performances, classical concerts, and contemporary music gigs by major names such as Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Björk, New Order, Paul Weller, and Lorde.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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Sub-freezing temperatures are expected to linger Friday morning, dropping as low as 20 degrees.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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My only other knock is the twist-off cap, which can result in dumping out too much product.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Feb. 2026
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The lawsuit alleges the administration violated environmental laws by dumping White House demolition debris on the course, raising serious pollution concerns.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fiscal angst is most obvious in urban school districts, where enrollment declines are most severe and where unions are the strongest, often spending heavily to elect friendly school board members.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Pritzker’s $56 billion election-year budget plan represents one of the smallest increases in state spending the governor has proposed since the governor took office in 2019.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Rule Breaker Breaking the rules, the TSA spokespersons said, generally comes from not knowing the rules or passengers simply forgetting.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
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Not by feeling ashamed, but not by ignoring or forgetting the history either.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Unless regulators crack down on these deepfakes, the videos threaten to steer even more patients toward wasteful, potentially dangerous purchases — while further undermining the public’s already faltering trust in medical institutions.—
John Whyte,
STAT,
17 Feb. 2026
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The program also pledges to fulfill conditions for adopting the euro currency by 2030, and to invest in Hungary's faltering state health care and public transportation sectors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Alternatively, many towns hold drop-off days or offer year-round services for safely discarding chemicals and flammables.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
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Which might be helping the fish fry get things back into the safe temperature zone, but can also mean discarding items if they've been held too long at unsafe temperatures.—
Megan Shinn,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Losing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/losing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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