loser

noun

los·​er ˈlü-zər How to pronounce loser (audio)
1
: a person or thing that loses especially consistently
The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year.
2
: a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed
Don't waste your time on that loser.
also : something doomed to fail or disappoint
his position is a loser politically Fred Barnes

Examples of loser in a Sentence

The team had a reputation for being a loser year after year. The loser of the bet has to buy drinks for the winner. Whoever benefits from the new government programs, the real loser will be the American taxpayer. That guy is a born loser.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The winners of the Round of 16 games advance to the quarterfinals, while the losers move on to the classification games for places 9-16. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025 Lee’s sensitive, evolving turn as Gi-hun — deeply human amid the madness, paranoia and murder set in bright green and pink surroundings — has made the character the ideal litmus test for Hwang’s critique of an economic system designed to produce titanic winners and losers who face annihilation. Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025 Playing a likable but selfish loser, Zahn has never been better; and the boyish, charming Walker freaks out like nobody’s business; the film’s greatest asset is the fraternal chemistry between these two. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025 The winner of that game will play in a matchup to decide fifth place while the loser goes on to compete in the seventh-place game. Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for loser

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loser was in 1548

Cite this Entry

“Loser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loser. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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