lose out
Britishverb
-
(intr, adverb) to be defeated or unsuccessful
-
to fail to secure or make use of
we lost out on the sale
-
Fail to succeed, be defeated, as in The election's over, and you've lost out . [Mid-1800s]
-
Also, . Miss an opportunity to participate, as in We came so late that we lost out on our chance to see her dance , or The Republicans lost out in last fall's elections . [ Colloquial ; mid-1900s] Also see miss out on .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The stakes go far beyond daily routines or vacation itineraries; small businesses lose out on potential foot traffic and revenue whenever a thunderstorm icon appears, even if it’s bright and sunny outside.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
Derek McInnes - who took Hearts to the brink of the title only to lose out on the final day to Celtic - replaced Rohl.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Given the way most people give, which is a steady amount decided sometime in December, they lose out on potential tax savings.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
At that point, any pop has likely already happened and they will lose out on that return boost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
I realized that Fito was concerned that he’d scared me away and that if he had, he would lose out on the rent he would be getting from us.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
