loser

[ loo-zer ]

noun

1. a person, team, nation, etc., that loses:

   The visiting team was the loser in the series.

2. Informal.
   1. a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or, especially, a felony:

      a two-time loser.

   2. a person who has failed at a particular activity:

      a loser at marriage.

   3. someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc. ( winner def 2 ):

      Don't bother to see that film, it's a real loser.

3. Slang. a misfit, especially someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc.

loser

/ ˈluːzə /

noun

1. a person or thing that loses
2. a person or thing that seems destined to be taken advantage of, fail, etc

   a born loser

3. bridge a card that will not take a trick

Other Words From

• non·loser noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of loser¹

1300–50; Middle English losere destroyer; lose, -er ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see under finders, keepers .

Example Sentences

The 14 losers in the first round of play-off qualifying were eliminated.

From BBC

But the winners and losers have, in many cases, been chosen already.

From Salon

“I would just say me being a sore loser is probably something that’s not my best attribute,” Foster said, “but, you know, I’m a competitor so it comes with that.”

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m not sure Trump is ready to go to those lengths, if it makes him look like a loser.”

From Los Angeles Times

It’s hard to say Trump will abandon tariffs due to their obvious and negative economic cost when they enable him, personally, to pick winners and losers in the U.S. economy.

From Salon

Related Words

• also-ran
• underdog