lose out

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to be defeated or unsuccessful

2. to fail to secure or make use of

   we lost out on the sale

Idioms and Phrases

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

The pair became easy targets for outsiders after Newcastle went on to lose out on the title to Manchester United, who won 13 of their final 15 league games.

From BBC

So why do parents suddenly forget or ignore their words of wisdom when their kids become teenagers, find themselves in sports competitions, lose out on a starting job or don’t receive the attention they think they deserve and decide to flee rather than “wait your turn.”

From Los Angeles Times

The RCR says individual cancer units still have to apply to NHS England to fund its use, leading to a postcode lottery where some patients lose out.

From BBC

"At Neath Abbey it was mostly modern infrastructure that was damaged and the wonderful thing about these sites is they are authentic fragments we've inherited from the past, and once it's damaged or destroyed we've lost that so the community and all of our visitors lose out as that archaeological source is eroded."

From BBC

This latest policy shift on college tuition will inevitably cause Texas, and other states, to lose out on valuable talent.

From Slate

Related Words

• break down 
• decline 
• fall