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 Arizona Coyotes would have made the playoffs in the West that year, too, if not for the loser points boosting the Colorado Avalanche’s record.

From Washington Post

There would be losers in a major shift toward meat alternatives.

From Time

Below, in the weekly “By the Numbers” section, I get into the big winners and losers of the 2021 markets.

From Fortune

Here’s a quick rundown of the winners and losers from this head-spinning, seven-player trade.

From Washington Post

James Harden is a winner and a loser of the Nets’ blockbuster tradeNo matter what they do, the Nets are going to be great offensively.

From Washington Post

In rambling posts, he called himself a loser, and wrote that he must be either bipolar or a psychopath.

From The Daily Beast

The Affordable Care Act was always a short-term political loser with respect to middle-class voters.

From The Daily Beast

One time I remember taking a walk and a guy drove past with his window down and yelled, ‘Hey loser, get a car!’

From The Daily Beast

This is a fight that immigration reform advocates believe is a loser for the GOP.

From The Daily Beast

“When I first met du Pont, I thought he was the biggest loser on Earth,” Mark recently told People.

From The Daily Beast

All three of themJess, Griff, and the excited loser of the pursereached for the umbrella; but Griff was the first.

From Project Gutenberg

You shall not be the loser, Mrs. Martin, by the attention you may pay to this poor orphan girl.

From Project Gutenberg

Payment over to the winner after notice or demand by the loser is not a good defense in an action against the stakeholder.

From Project Gutenberg

Si was getting a little the better of Billings, and184 the General's sympathies naturally went toward the loser.

From Project Gutenberg

He foresaw what it implied, however, and at once returned to Boston, to find himself a heavy loser by the financial disaster.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• also-ran
• underdog