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.

"I am a sore loser, I always will be. I want to win," he added.

From BBC • Oct. 10, 2025

“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 • Nov. 29, 2024

Well, there is one category in which he is the undisputed greatest of all time: He's the greatest sore loser in world history.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 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

He’d realized that if he acted like a sore loser, he wouldn’t be able to celebrate Anh’s victory.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

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