sore loser

American

[sawr loo-zer] / ˈsɔr ˈlu zər /

noun

a person who is habitually angered, irritated, or annoyed when they do not win something or gain a desired advantage.

There is no point in being a sore loser and whining about it all.
You can't call him a sore loser—he accepts defeat with grace and dignity.

Etymology

Origin of sore loser

First recorded in 1830–40

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.

See Examples For:

sore loser

Never mind that this salt-and-pepper-haired coach with the Portuguese accent had also constructed a reputation as a sore loser, a bitter complainer, and raging egomaniac.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

The World Conker Championships has said accusations of cheating come from a "sore loser".

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2024

She continued, "You’re going to go down in history now as a sore loser, as opposed to going down in history as the Queen . . . Don’t play with me."

From Salon ● Feb. 4, 2024

Gaines’ critics often accuse her of being a sore loser, but she didn’t lose to Thomas: They tied for fifth.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 28, 2023

Don’t be a sore loser, he reminded himself, and moved on, toward a line of photographs on the side wall.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023