Is It “Loose” or “Lose”?
Lose can only be used as a verb and has several meanings, including:“being unable to keep something” (don’t give me the gift because I will lose it); and “failing to win” (I don’t want my team to lose). Loose also has many definitions and can function as an adjective (the pants were too loose) or a verb (they loosed the knot)
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“Lose” or “Loose”: Learn How To Use These Words
Does not knowing the difference between lose and loose cause you to lose your temper? Relax and hang loose, because we’re going to teach you everything about these words, including what they mean, how to use them in a sentence, and how to never (ever) misuse them again.
What Does “Lose” Mean?
Let’s start with the easiest of the two words, lose, which can only be used as a verb. Lose has a handful of different meanings, but most relate to “being unable to retain possession of something, failing to win, or having something or someone taken away from you.”
Keep in mind that lose has different verb forms:
Base (infinitive): (To) lose
(Simple) Paste tense: Lost
Past participle: Lost
Present participle: Losing
Present tense: Lose
Third-Person Singular: Loses
Phrases Including the Word “Lose” and What They Mean
There are many expressions and phrases that contain the word “lose.” Here are a few of them:
1. Lose your temper
“To fail to retain your composure as a result of being angry”
2. Lose your mind
“To go insane”
3. Lose count
“To not be able to remember a total”
4. Lose your way
“To fail to reach one’s destination or become lost”
5. Lose sleep over
“To worry excessively about something”
Now that we know what lose means, let’s go over its counterpart: loose.
- I knew we weren’t going to lose a game with this team.
What Does “Loose” Mean?
Loose almost always functions as an adjective, but can also be used as a verb. Loose has many definitions; we’ll review a few of them.
“Loose” as an Adjective
As an adjective, loose can mean “snug or roomy”; “not tight”; and “not rigidly fastened.”
Loose is also used figuratively to describe something that is “not constrained or strictly structured.”
“Loose” as a Verb
As a verb, loose means “to untie something that was previously fastened or release something that was restrained.”
It can also be used to mean “to speak or express emotions very freely, especially in an uncontrolled way.”
“Loose” as an Adverb
Although not as common, it should be noted that loose can also function as an adverb.

Don’t Lose Your Mind Over “Loose” or “Lose” Ever Again
We know.
There’s a lot to remember when it comes to using lose and loose correctly. Just try to keep these two key points in mind:
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