Meaning
Lose
- To fail to keep something, to misplace it, or to be defeated
- Can refer to objects, opportunities, time, or competitions
Get lost
- Literally: to become lost and not know your location
- Informally/rudely: to tell someone to go away
Usage
Lose
- Can be used with objects (e.g., lose keys), situations (e.g., lose time), or competitions (e.g., lose a game)
- Always followed by the thing that is lost
Get lost
- When literal, used without an object (e.g., “I got lost in the city”)
- When figurative/rude, used as a command (e.g., “Get lost!”)
Examples
Lose
| Example | Example |
|---|---|
| I always lose my keys. | She lost the race. |
| Don’t lose hope. | We lost the game yesterday. |
| He lost his job. | They lost interest quickly. |
Get lost
| Example | Example |
|---|---|
| I got lost on my way home. | We got lost in the museum. |
| Get lost! (rude) | He told me to get lost. |
| Don’t tell me to get lost. | Why did you get lost downtown? |
Which sentence correctly uses the word 'lose'?
I always lose my keys.
'Lose' means to fail to keep or find something, so 'I always lose my keys' is correct.
What does 'We lost the game yesterday' mean?
Our team was defeated in the game yesterday.
'Lost the game' means the team was defeated.
Summary
- Lose = fail to keep/find something or be defeated
- Get lost (literal) = become lost/confused about location
- Get lost (figurative) = rude way to tell someone to go away
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
