Synonyms of lost

lost 1 of 2

adjective

ˈlȯst 

as in missing

no longer possessed

we searched all over the house for the lost keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• missing
• gone
• misplaced
• mislaid
• forgotten
• absent
• irretrievable
• irrecoverable
• unknown
• castaway

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• retained
• possessed
• owned
• loved
• valued
• protected
• cherished
• treasured
• prized

lost

2 of 2

verb

past tense of lose

1

as in missed

to be unable to find or have at hand

I always lose my keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• missed
• misplaced
• forgot
• mislaid
• passed over
• overlooked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• had
• retained
• owned
• possessed
• occupied
• enjoyed
• kept
• held
• found
• located
• detected
• ran down
• tracked (down)
• scared up
• scouted (up)
• descried

2

as in dropped

to fail to win, gain, or obtain

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dropped
• forfeited

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• won
• conquered
• nailed (down)
• prevailed (over)
• triumphed (over)

3

as in fell

to undergo defeat

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fell
• faltered
• threw
• bowed out
• missed
• took the count
• failed
• forfeited
• collapsed
• flopped
• tanked
• struck out
• cracked (up)
• flunked
• folded
• foundered
• washed out
• bombed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• won
• prevailed
• conquered
• succeeded
• triumphed
• flourished
• prospered
• thrived

4

as in discarded

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

• discarded
• dumped
• ditched
• unloaded
• abandoned
• scrapped
• shed
• rejected
• jettisoned
• removed
• junked
• tossed
• eliminated
• chucked
• exorcised
• laid by
• flung (off or away)
• threw away
• shucked (off)
• cast (off)
• sloughed (off)
• set aside
• disposed of
• cashiered
• threw out
• sluffed (off)
• deep-sixed
• dismissed
• eighty-sixed
• abdicated
• deserted
• forsook
• pitched
• eradicated
• abolished
• kicked out
• wiped out
• annihilated
• extinguished
• expunged
• exterminated
• extirpated
• liquidated
• stamped (out)
• rooted (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adopted
• used
• employed
• embraced
• utilized
• retained
• took on
• held
• kept
• held back

5

as in spent

to use up carelessly

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spent
• wasted
• squandered
• dissipated
• threw away
• misspent
• blew
• frittered (away)
• lavished
• ran through
• fiddled away
• consumed
• depleted
• trifled (away)
• exhausted
• played ducks and drakes with
• impoverished
• expended
• splurged
• indulged
• disbursed
• laid out
• overspent
• overindulged
• shot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserved
• preserved
• protected
• saved
• skimped
• laid up
• hoarded
• economized
• scrimped

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lost

Adjective

Come for the deep dive into mankind’s favorite building material, stay for his detours into everything from Hallmark screenwriting tropes to the lost Yuletide recordings of the late DMX. — A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

Florida has just 52 certified headache specialists, so for a worker in rural Florida, a diagnosis can mean a lost day’s wages and a long drive. — Brian T. Bailey, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

Verb

Skubal reached the playoffs in each of the last two falls with the Detroit Tigers but was once part of a club that lost 96 games. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Not including yards lost to sacks, Ownes has scrambled for 60 yards in two games, and he’s listed at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026