# lose

> English word · Verb · IPA /luːz/ · frequency rank #879

## Definitions
1. To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability.
2. To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability.
3. To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability.
4. To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability.
5. To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability.
6. To cease to have (something) in one's possession or capability.
7. To wander from; to miss, so as not to be able to find; to go astray from.
8. To become a defeated competitor in (a game, competition, trial, etc).
9. To be defeated (in a game, competition, contest, etc.)
10. To be unable to follow or trace (somebody or something) any longer.
11. To cause (somebody) to be unable to follow or trace one any longer.
12. To cease exhibiting; to overcome (a behavior or emotion).
13. To shed, remove, discard, or eliminate.
14. Of a clock, to run slower than expected.
15. To cause (someone) the loss of something; to deprive of.
16. To fail to catch with the mind or senses; to miss.

## Etymology
From Middle English losen, from Old English losian, from Proto-West Germanic *losōn, from Proto-Germanic *lusōną, *luzōną, from Proto-Germanic *lusą. The modern pronunciation with /uː/ (instead of the /oʊ~əʊ/ that would be expected from Early Modern /ɔː/) is due to conflation with loose.

## Easily confused with
- **Ls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-ls)
- **lot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lot)
- **low** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-low)
- **Lou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lou)
- **LSU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lsu)
- **LSD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lsd)
- **LST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lst)
- **lye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lye)
- **lox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lox)
- **loy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-loy)
- **LSC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lsc)
- **love** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-love)
- **lost** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lost)
- **loss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-loss)
- **lots** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lots)
- **loud** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-loud)
- **Luke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-luke)
- **lust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lust)
- **lure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lure)
- **lowe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lose-vs-lowe)

## Common misspellings (5)
`llose`, `loes`, `losse`, `lsoe`, `olse`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lose