loser
- 01 A2 Elementary
a person who loses a game, race, or competition.
the participant in a contest or competition who does not achieve victory.
Simple“The winner shook hands with the loser after the tennis match ended.”
In context“In professional sports, even the loser of a championship final often receives significant media attention and a substantial consolation prize.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
a person who is not successful in life or who has a very annoying personality.
a derogatory term for an individual perceived as a failure or as socially inept.
Simple“He felt like a loser after he lost his job and his car broke down.”
In context“The protagonist of the novel is portrayed as a social loser who eventually finds confidence through an unexpected friendship.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
someone who often loses their belongings, like keys or a phone.
an individual who habitually misplaces or fails to retain possession of items.
Simple“I am such a loser of umbrellas; I have bought three this month.”
In context“She admitted to being a chronic loser of car keys, which prompted her to install a smart tracker on her keychain.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a plan, idea, or bet that is likely to fail or result in a loss.
a proposition, investment, or undertaking that is predictably unsuccessful or unprofitable.
Simple“The investment looked like a loser from the very beginning.”
In context“Market analysts quickly identified the new startup as a loser, citing its lack of a clear revenue model and high overhead costs.”
From Middle English loser, losere, equivalent to lose + -er. In the sense of contemptible or worthless individual, perhaps an alteration of losel, which see.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.