Which to use
“Lose” (one o) is the verb — to lose a game, to lose your keys. “Loose” (two o’s) is the adjective meaning not tight. The extra o makes it looser.
- #879
- “lose” frequency rank
- #3,243
- “loose” frequency rank
- 99
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lose | loose |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability. | To let loose, to free from restraints. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lose and loose apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
lose and loose form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 99, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lose is recorded at frequency rank #879, classified as averb, pronounced /luːz/. loose is at rank #3,243, tagged as averb, pronounced /luːs/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between "lose" and "loose"?
Can "lose" and "loose" be used interchangeably?
Remembering lose vs loose
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “lose” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable