lost

American  

[lawst, lost] / lɔst, lɒst /

adjective

1. no longer possessed or retained.

   lost friends.

   Synonyms:

   past, former

2. no longer to be found.

   lost articles.

3. having gone astray or missed the way; bewildered as to place, direction, etc..

   lost children.

   Synonyms:

   missing, absent

4. not used to good purpose, as opportunities, time, or labor; wasted.

   a lost advantage.

5. being something that someone has failed to win.

   a lost prize.

6. ending in or attended with defeat.

   a lost battle.

7. destroyed or ruined.

   lost ships.

8. preoccupied; rapt.

   He seems lost in thought.

9. distracted; distraught; desperate; hopeless.

   the lost look of a man trapped and afraid.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. simple past tense and past participle of lose.

idioms

1. get lost,

   1. to absent oneself.

      I think I'll get lost before an argument starts.

   2. to stop being a nuisance.

      If they call again, tell them to get lost.

2. lost to,

   1. no longer belonging to.

   2. no longer possible or open to.

      The opportunity was lost to him.

   3. insensible to.

      lost to all sense of duty.

lost British  

/ lɒst /

adjective

1. unable to be found or recovered

2. unable to find one's way or ascertain one's whereabouts

3. confused, bewildered, or helpless

   he is lost in discussions of theory

4. (sometimes foll by on) not utilized, noticed, or taken advantage of (by)

   rational arguments are lost on her

5. no longer possessed or existing because of defeat, misfortune, or the passage of time

   a lost art

6. destroyed physically

   the lost platoon

7. (foll by to) no longer available or open (to)

8. (foll by to) insensible or impervious (to a sense of shame, justice, etc)

9. (foll by in) engrossed (in)

   he was lost in his book

10. morally fallen

    a lost woman

11. damned

    a lost soul

12. informal (usually imperative) go away and stay away

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lost More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing lost

• get lost
• he who hesitates is lost
• lose
• make up for lost time
• no love lost
• you've lost me

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Other Word Forms

• unlost adjective

Etymology

Origin of lost

First recorded in 1530–40, for the adjective

Example Sentences

The 2026 tour kicked off for Paul in Brisbane earlier this month, before continuing in Adelaide, where he lost in the semifinal.

From MarketWatch

They have not lost to a section opponent all season.

From Los Angeles Times

The lion had been seen traversing the city and probably got lost, San Francisco Animal Care and Control said in a Facebook post.

From Los Angeles Times

But only a couple of weeks after all hope looked seemingly lost for the Premier League's worst-performing clubs, the battle for survival has taken several unexpected turns in the early weeks of 2026.

From BBC

While big money was lost as well, this seemed less important.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absent
• adrift
• disoriented
• hidden
• invisible
• misplaced
• vanished