lost

adjective
UK: /lɒst/
US: /lɔːst/

  1. Unable to find your way; not knowing where you are.

    1. I am lost, can you help me? [ ] [ ]
    2. The little girl got lost in the crowded department store and started to cry. [ ] [ ]

  2. No longer possessed or available; having disappeared or been taken away.

    1. My keys are lost again. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company lost a lot of money due to the recent economic downturn. [ ] [ ]

  3. Defeated in a game, competition, or war.

    1. Our team lost the game. [ ] [ ]
    2. The rebels lost the battle despite their initial gains in territory. [ ] [ ]

  4. Feeling confused or unable to understand something.

    1. I'm lost; can you explain it again? [ ] [ ]
    2. The students were lost in the complexity of the theoretical physics lecture. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

missing confused bewildered gone
lost verb

  1. To mislay something; to be unable to find something.

    1. I lost my wallet. [ ] [ ]
    2. She lost her phone while traveling and had to buy a new one. [ ] [ ]

  2. To fail to win a game, competition, election, etc.

    1. They lost the match. [ ] [ ]
    2. The candidate lost the election despite running a strong campaign. [ ] [ ]

  3. To have something removed or taken away because of an accident, war, etc.

    1. He lost his leg in the war. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many people lost their homes due to the devastating hurricane that hit the coast. [ ] [ ]

  4. To waste or fail to take advantage of something such as an opportunity or a chance.

    1. Don't lose this chance. [ ] [ ]
    2. They lost a valuable opportunity to expand their business into new markets. [ ] [ ]
lost noun

  1. People who are not living according to a morally acceptable way of life.

    1. He felt sorry for the lost. [ ] [ ]
    2. The church aims to reach out to the lost and help them find their way. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "lost" in English means: Unable to find your way; not knowing where you are., No longer possessed or available; having disappeared or been taken away., Defeated in a game, competition, or war., Feeling confused or unable to understand something..

The phonetic transcription of "lost" is /lɒst/ in British English and /lɔːst/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "lost": missing, confused, bewildered, gone.

Example usage of "lost": "I am lost, can you help me?". More examples on the page.