Is it ‘loose’ or ‘lose’?
Did you lose or loose yourself to the music? We could ask Slim Shady, or we can figure out the answer ourselves. The frequently confused pair of homophones, loose and lose, need not evade our understanding any longer!
Loose vs. lose
| Sentence with the verb “lose” | Sentence with the adj. “loose” |
| If you lose the bet, you owe me $50 bucks! | She usually wears her hair loose. |
She might lose her tooth because it’s loose.
Consider how the sentence above uses the verb lose compared to the adjective loose.
Lose (pronounced looz) is a:
Verb and an action that describes when we misplace (i.e., lose) something or someone. If you lose something, you no longer have it or can’t find it, often because you don’t know where it physically and literally is.
To lose (at something) can also mean to fail at it; such as in a game or a test; e.g., “the team was determined not to lose the championship match.”
| Sentences with the verb lose |
“I’ve lost my ticket“ “He’s always losing his car keys” |
We can also lose something or someone figuratively: She lost her spirit of adventure after the divorce, unfortunately.
The verb forms of lose are:
| present | past | future | |
| simple | I lose | I lost | I will lose |
| continuous | I am losing | I was losing | I will be losing |
| perfect continuous | I have lost | I had lost | I will have lost |
| perfect continuous | I have been losing | I had been losing | I will have been losing |
Loose is mostly as an adjective that describes something as not tight fitting or fixed into place (like a loose tooth). Since adjectives don’t have tenses like verbs do, when a tense of lose works in the sentence, this means lose is the correct word (and not loose).
| Sentences with the adjective loose |
One of the bricks feels slightly loose. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The committees work within loose guidelines. |
Synonyms of lose
Remember that while these words may be synonyms, they can have slightly different nuances or connotations depending on the context in which they are used.
- misplace
- forfeit
- drop
- miss
- fail
- surrender
- disappear
- mislay
- waste
- squander
- let slip
- give up
- forego
- abdicate
- release
Synonyms of loose
As with any set of synonyms, be aware that each word might have slightly different shades of meaning or usage, so it’s important to choose the word that best fits the context you’re using it in.
- unfastened
- unsecured
- unrestricted
- free
- open
- slack
- relaxed
- lax
- baggy
- flowing
- unrestrained
- liberal
- flexible
- detached
- unbound
Idioms with “loose”
| Idioms with “loose” | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Loose change | Meaning spare change or coins that a person carries. |
| Loose cannon | A way to describe someone or something that’s volatile or uncontrollable. |
| Loose-lipped | Someone that’s given in easily to unrestrained talk; someone that gossips or can’t be trusted with personal information. |
| Hang loose | To hang out; informal. To relax or “chill”. |
| Fast and loose | To do something in a reckless or irresponsible manner. |
| All hell breaks loose | A violent, destructive, and confused activity suddenly begins |
| Idioms with “lose” | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lose one’s temper/lose one’s head | To become extremely angry or irate. |
| Lose one’s way | To be physically or figuratively lost. |
| Lose heart | To become discouraged about or towards something. |
| Lose one’s nerve | “Nerve” is used in the sense of courage or boldness; e.g., I wanted to ski down the expert slope but then I lost my nerve. |
| Lose count | Meaning, to forget the exact number or quantity of something. |
| To lose face | Said when we experience a loss of respect from others; to be humiliated. |
| To lose it | An expression that describes someone that got extremely angry and irate over something. |
| To lose sleep over something | Typically used in the phrase, “it’s not something to lose sleep over“; meaning, it’s not something worth worrying about or stressing over. |
| To lose out | To miss out on something exciting or fun. |
| To lose one’s grip | To feel as if you don’t have control of a situation, circumstance or sense of reality. |
| To lose one’s lunch | Slang term meaning to “throw-up” or vomit. |
The origin of “lose”/”loose”
Old English losian “be lost, perish,” from los “destruction, loss,” from Proto-Germanic lausa-* (source also of Old Norse los “the breaking up of an army;” Old English forleosan “to lose, destroy”.
Early 13c., lous, loos, lowse, “not securely fixed;” c. 1300, “unbound, not confined,” from Old Norse lauss “loose, free, unencumbered; vacant; dissolute,” cognate with Old English leas “devoid of, false, feigned, incorrect” (source of -less) from Proto-Germanic *lausaz…
In review: loose & lose
“Lose” and “loose” are two different words with distinct meanings and uses:
- Lose is a verb that means “to be deprived of something, to not win, or to misplace something.” Example sentences: I don’t want to lose my keys again; I’ve misplaced them too many times.
- Loose is an adjective meaning “not tight or firmly held in place, not closely fitted.” Example sentences (as an adjective): Her dress had a loose fit, providing comfort and freedom of movement.
Read about other confusing words
- Irregardless vs. Regardless (Which is Correct?)
- Is it Rational or Rationale?
- “Breathe” vs “Breath”: Which is the Correct Word?
- Former vs. Latter, Explained
- Is it ‘Bear With Me’ or ‘Bare’ with Me’, Explained
- Compliment vs Complement (Definition & Examples)
- Is it “Labour” or “Labor”?
Sources
- “Lose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lose. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
- “Loose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loose. Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.
- Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of lose.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/lose. Accessed 13 August, 2023.
- Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of loose.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/loose. Accessed 13 August, 2023.
