as in missing
no longer possessed
we searched all over the house for the lost keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in missed
to be unable to find or have at hand
I always lose my keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fell
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 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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in spent
to use up carelessly
we lost a good hour while he tried to find his keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lost
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Drone technology is being credited with helping find a lost dog that escaped from a car during a pit stop last weekend on the New Jersey Turnpike and traveled more than 20 miles.
—Nick Caloway, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The state added education and health services jobs, but lost trade and mining positions.
—Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lost
Adjective
At the same time, the federal budget sharply reduces spending on health care and other services, leaving local governments to grapple with how to replace the lost money.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Drone technology is being credited with helping find a lost dog that escaped from a car during a pit stop last weekend on the New Jersey Turnpike and traveled more than 20 miles.
—Nick Caloway, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points to lead the Kings (8-30), who have lost seven in a row and 17 of their last 20.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The state added education and health services jobs, but lost trade and mining positions.
—Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lost
Adjective
-
Perilous Voyages More than 5,100 Rohingya have taken boats to leave Myanmar and Bangladesh between January and early November this year, with nearly 600 people reported dead or missing, according to data from the UN Refugee Agency.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
As of Friday, nine people remain missing, who are believed to have been in the area at the time of the crash, ABC News and WAVE reported.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Butker, who entered the season as one of the NFL’s top kickers, missed five kicks over his next seven halves of football.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The city reversed course and put the matter out to bid but ultimately rejected a proposal by Nikki Beach after saying its representatives missed a deadline to submit documents.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The couple's appearance comes just days after Cher appeared on Shepard's Armchair Expert and dropped a few awkward moments with the hosts.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
On Philadelphia's final drive, Brown dropped a pass on third-and-five from quarterback Jalen Hurts that went right through his hands.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The state also has an above average number of polluted waterways and more coal ash ponds — small, toxic water bodies near coal plants where poisonous refuse is discarded — than any other state.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
6 Jan. 2026
-
By the 1970s, many of Lindsay’s policies were anchored more to his office and personality than to his party and were thus easily discarded upon executive turnover.—
Daniel Wortel-London,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The trio were indicted in May and accused of falsifying loan applications to get federal pandemic relief funds and money meant for Brown’s nonprofit that was spent on a lavish birthday party and Louis Vuitton items.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2026
-
McLendon has spent the last two seasons on the practice squad prior to making his Dolphins debut during the season finale against the New England Patriots.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And even with those two gone, Dubar slid down Boise State’s depth chart, managing just three carries for 12 yards so far in 2025.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Not only are the views, of course, often repulsive, but the actual form of argument is not argument… That’s what interests me, that even the most basic principles that people have worked on for 2,000 years to establish what a fact means…gone.—
Josh Zajdman,
Vogue,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In addition to missing luggage, Travel + Leisure writers have also misplaced their passports, laptops, and even jewelry while on trips.—
Michelle Baricevic,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Dec. 2025
-
The officials said the conversation about jobs with Waller showed concern and criticism was misplaced that the president was seeking a candidate based on the criteria that the next Fed chair would bow to the whims of Trump on rates.—
Steve Liesman,
CNBC,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lost. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share