loser

American  

[loo-zer] / ˈlu zər /

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 ).

      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.

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loser British  

/ 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

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loser Idioms  

1. see under finders, keepers.

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Other Word Forms

• nonloser noun

Etymology

Origin of loser

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

Example Sentences

Higher energy costs, higher interest rates and shifting economic paradigms from the AI-investment cycle are creating both winners and losers that the credit markets struggle to discount adequately.

From MarketWatch

So, while the winners of those ties face each other in Zenica for a place at this summer's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the losers must meet in Cardiff.

From BBC

“No way, dude. I don’t want her to know that I’m a zitty loser and broke as hell,” I say.

From Literature

Clare tried to muster some satisfaction that his point had been made, but for someone who’d just won, he felt an awful lot like a loser.

From Literature

Here are some of the winners and losers from the conflict so far.

From Barron's

Related Words

• also-ran
• underdog