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losing

v.
A2 Elementary US //ˈɫuzɪŋ// UK //lˈuːzɪŋ// los·ing

v. to fail to win a game or competition, or to no longer have something you once had. You might use this when you cannot find your keys or when your team does not win.

v. to suffer defeat in a competition or to be deprived of a possession, faculty, or quality. The present participle form of 'lose', functioning as a transitive or intransitive verb depending on the presence of a direct object.


SIMPLE

Our team is losing the game by two points.

CONTEXTUAL

The company is losing market share because it failed to adapt to new digital trends.

COMPLEX

While the candidate is losing ground in the rural districts, her performance in urban centers remains strong enough to keep the election competitive.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive when referring to a lost object or game, but can be intransitive when describing a general state of defeat.

Pitfall

I am loosing my keys all the timeI am losing my keys all the timeLearners frequently confuse 'losing' (the opposite of winning or finding) with 'loosing' (the act of making something loose).

Idioms2 entries

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