lost soul

[ lawst sohl, lost ]

noun

1. a person who seems to lack direction or a sense of belonging in life:

   He was described as a "lost soul" who was estranged from his family and fell into crime.

   The film focuses on four lost souls: a disgraced TV anchor, a rebellious teen, an isolated single mom, and a self-absorbed music nerd.

2. a person on the way to hell or perdition:

   Their preaching focused on bringing lost souls to repentance through God's love.

3. the damned soul or restless spirit of a dead person:

   Ghosts are spirits who cannot reincarnate again, and are miserable lost souls.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lost soul¹

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

We, as audience members-turned-actors, are on the hunt for a lost soul — a soul himself who has to rediscover who he is.

From Los Angeles Times

The real magic, however, is the giddiness sparkling around Terence Mann who starts as a lost soul and ends the film believing in magic again, simply by touching the edge of a cornfield.

From Salon

Albanese described the man as provocative and difficult — “a lost soul.”

From Los Angeles Times

Lee balances this with a performance soaked in empathy and regret, granting his physical confrontations with the lost soul he’s tracking a hint of operatic pathos.

From Salon

"She seemed like a lost soul," Annelise's mum told her inquest.

From BBC