# lost

/ˈɫɔst/ (US) · /lˈɒst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lost
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. unable to find the way

adjective · CEFR A2

unable to find your way or not knowing where you are.

For teachers: unable to find the correct route or determine one's current location.

- We got lost in the narrow streets of the old town and had to ask for directions.
- The hikers became hopelessly lost after the dense fog obscured the trail markers, forcing them to camp overnight and wait for clearer weather.

### 2. missing or misplaced

adjective · CEFR A2

something that cannot be found or is no longer with its owner.

For teachers: denoting an object that is missing, misplaced, or no longer in the possession of its owner.

- She put up posters around the neighbourhood to help find her lost cat.
- The museum managed to recover several lost artefacts that had been missing since the conflict in the late nineteenth century.

### 3. wasted or not used

adjective · CEFR B2

time or an opportunity that was not used well and is now gone.

For teachers: referring to time, effort, or opportunities that have been wasted or allowed to pass without profit.

- I spent the whole afternoon playing games, so it was basically a lost day.
- The management regretted the lost opportunity to expand into the Asian market when their competitors were still relatively small.

### 4. deeply preoccupied

adjective · CEFR B2

giving so much attention to something that you do not notice anything else.

For teachers: fully absorbed or engrossed in a thought, activity, or emotion to the exclusion of external reality.

- He was so lost in his book that he didn't hear me enter the room.
- She sat by the window for hours, lost in thought as she contemplated the difficult decision she had to make regarding her career.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'in'.

## Examples

- I am lost and need a map to find the station.
- We got lost in the narrow streets of the old town and had to ask a local for directions.
- The protagonist feels lost in the vast bureaucracy of the city, struggling to find any sense of belonging or direction in his new life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.