loser
gb/lˈuzɚ/ us/lˈuzɚ/
A2
English
~ 6700
lúzer, vesztes, rosszul járó fél, bukás, tőzsdei vesztes, veszteséges befektetés, vesztő lap
NOUN
B1
INFORMAL
1
lúzer
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a loser
In high school he felt like a complete loser with no real friends.
A középiskolában teljes lúzernek érezte magát, és nem voltak igazi barátai.
She called him a loser for living with his parents and not having a job.
Lúzernek nevezte, amiért a szüleivel él, és nincs munkája.
The movie makes fun of office losers who never get promoted.
He used to be seen as a loser, but now he runs his own company.
Don't talk about yourself as a loser just because you made one mistake.
Learner examples
At school, he thinks he is a loser because other kids do not talk to him.
Az iskolában lúzernek érzi magát, mert a többi gyerek nem beszél vele.
She said, "I am such a loser," after she lost her job and her boyfriend.
Azt mondta: „Mekkora lúzer vagyok”, miután elvesztette az állását, és a barátja is elhagyta.
They called him a loser because he plays games all day.
I felt like a loser when I stayed home on Saturday night.
Please don’t call your brother a loser. It hurts his feelings.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'loser' for anyone who loses a game, without realizing it can be a strong insult about a person's whole life or character. In many situations, it is more polite to say 'He lost the game' instead of 'He is a loser.' Also, learners may confuse 'looser' (comparative of 'loose') with 'loser'; they are different words.
Meaning
person viewed as a failure
Collocations
a total loser
|such a loser
|feel like a loser
|act like a loser
|call [someone] a loser
Synonyms
failure (Focuses more on lack of success in life, not always with the strong social insult that 'loser' has.)
|
nobody (Emphasizes being unimportant or unknown rather than generally pathetic.)
|
deadbeat (Suggests someone lazy or irresponsible, especially about work or money, not just socially awkward.)
Antonyms
winner (Suggests someone who is successful and admired, the opposite of an insult like 'loser'.)
|
success (A person who is clearly doing well in life, the reverse image of someone seen as a 'loser'.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|identity
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who other people think is not successful or not cool, and do not respect.
A person who is widely seen as unsuccessful, weak, or socially inadequate, and is not respected by others.
A2
2
vesztes
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the loser in [a game/competition]
The loser of the final match will still receive a silver medal.
A döntő mérkőzés vesztese is ezüstérmet kap.
In any game there has to be both a winner and a loser.
Minden játékban kell lennie győztesnek és vesztesnek is.
She was the clear loser in the race, finishing almost a minute behind.
The election loser quickly called to congratulate her opponent.
As usual, I ended up the loser at cards and had to buy dinner.
Learner examples
In this game there is one winner and one loser.
Ebben a játékban egy győztes és egy vesztes van.
He was the loser in the tennis match yesterday.
Ő volt a vesztes a tegnapi teniszmeccsen.
The loser of the race was tired but still smiled.
I do not like being the loser, but I shake hands and say, "Good game."
The loser has to wash the dishes tonight.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes avoid 'loser' here because they only know the insulting meaning. In a clear game or competition context, 'loser' is usually neutral. Make sure you use 'the loser' for the specific person in that contest, not 'a loser,' which can sound personal or insulting.
Meaning
person or team that does not win
Collocations
the loser of the match
|clear loser
|election loser
|be the loser in [a race]
|declare the winner and loser
Synonyms
defeated side (A neutral, formal term that focuses only on the result, not on any judgment about the person or team.)
|
runner-up (Usually means the person or team that comes second, often with a positive or neutral tone.)
Antonyms
winner (The person or team that wins the game or competition.)
|
victor (A more formal word for the winner in a contest or battle.)
Themes
sports
|competition
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The person or team that does not win a game or competition.
A person or team that does not win a game, contest, or competition.
NOUN
B2
3
vesztes
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] creates winners and losers
There will always be winners and losers when a new trade deal is signed.
Amikor új kereskedelmi megállapodást írnak alá, mindig vannak nyertesek és vesztesek.
Small shops are often the losers when big supermarkets open nearby.
A kisboltok gyakran a vesztesei annak, ha nagy szupermarketek nyílnak a közelben.
In this reform, young workers could be the main losers.
Tax changes usually create both clear winners and clear losers.
The report identifies likely losers from the new education policy.
Learner examples
With any big change, there are winners and losers.
Minden nagy változásnak vannak nyertesei és vesztesei.
Many farmers were the losers when food prices dropped.
Sok gazda a vesztesek közé került, amikor csökkentek az élelmiszerárak.
In this plan, rich people are the winners and poor people are the losers.
After the company move, the losers were workers who had to travel farther.
The new rule helped some students but made others the losers.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes misunderstand 'losers' here as a direct insult. In news or business writing, it often just means 'people who are worse off after this change,' without personal insult. Context with policies, markets, or reforms usually signals this meaning.
Meaning
person harmed by change or decision
Collocations
winners and losers
|economic losers
|potential losers
|identify the losers
|the biggest losers from [a policy]
Synonyms
the disadvantaged (Focuses on having fewer advantages in general, not only on one particular change or event.)
|
victim (Stronger and more emotional, often suggests harm was done unfairly or violently.)
Antonyms
beneficiary (A person or group that gains or benefits from a change or decision.)
|
winner (The side that gains or ends up better off in a situation, opposite to the side that loses out.)
Themes
economics
|politics
|society
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person or group that is in a worse situation because of a change, law, or decision.
A person or group that is harmed, disadvantaged, or left worse off by a change, policy, or decision.
NOUN
B2
4
Usage pattern:
[something] is a loser in [market/sales]
That model turned out to be a real loser in the smartphone market.
Az a modell igazi bukásnak bizonyult az okostelefonok piacán.
The report lists the day’s biggest winners and losers on the stock exchange.
A jelentés felsorolja a tőzsde aznapi legnagyobb nyerteseit és veszteseit.
Their last movie was a box-office loser despite good reviews.
The company is trying to sell off its losers and focus on core brands.
In this sector, coal has become a long-term loser compared to renewable energy.
Learner examples
Their new phone was a loser and did not sell well.
Az új telefonjuk bukás volt, és nem fogyott jól.
This stock is a loser; it keeps going down.
Ez a részvény veszteséges befektetés; folyamatosan esik az árfolyama.
The product was a loser in Europe but a winner in Asia.
Our last ad was a loser, so we will try a new idea.
The manager wants to cut the losers and keep the good products.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'loser' can only describe people. In business or news, it can also describe products, stocks, or ideas that do badly compared to others.
Meaning
thing that performs or sells badly
Collocations
a real loser
|stock market losers
|a box-office loser
|turn a loser into a winner
|a financial loser
Synonyms
poor performer (More formal and neutral, often used in business reports instead of the casual 'loser'.)
|
nonstarter (Suggests an idea or plan that is so weak it will never succeed at all.)
Antonyms
winner (A very successful product, investment, or idea that does well in the market.)
|
top performer (Emphasizes doing better than others in measured results like sales or returns.)
Themes
business
|finance
|economics
Definition
A product, plan, or investment that does not do well and may lose money or fail.
Something, such as a product, investment, or idea, that performs badly, loses money, or is clearly less successful than alternatives.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
5
vesztő lap
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone] counts [number] losers in [a suit]
In this hand you have two losers in hearts and one in clubs.
Ebben a leosztásban két vesztő lapod van kőrben és egy treffben.
You can discard a loser on partner’s long spade suit.
Eldobhatsz egy vesztő lapot a partnered hosszú pikk színére.
The textbook explains how to count losers before you bid.
Learner examples
In bridge, a low card is often a loser.
Bridzsben az alacsony lap gyakran vesztő lap.
She counted three losers in her hand before she played.
Mielőtt elkezdett volna játszani, három vesztő lapot számolt össze a kezében.
You can throw a loser away on a strong winning card.
He said, "I have too many losers," and passed.
The teacher showed us how to change a loser into a winner.
Meaning
card unlikely to win a trick
Collocations
a loser in [hearts/spades/etc.]
|cover a loser
|discard a loser
|count your losers
|turn a loser into a winner
Synonyms
non-winning card (A descriptive phrase used in explanations; not a set technical term but explains the idea clearly.)
Antonyms
winner (A card that is expected to win a trick, often high in rank or supported by other cards.)
Themes
games
|recreation
|arts_entertainment
Definition
In some card games, a card that almost surely will not win a trick.
In card games such as bridge, a card in a player’s hand that is expected not to win a trick.
Grammar
Dictionary form
loser
IPA
GB/lˈuzɚ/
US/lˈuzɚ/
Syllables & stress
loser (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (loser)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: loser
- Plural: losers
Word family
Expressions
bad loser
1/bˈæd lˈuzɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
person who behaves badly after losing
Someone who does not accept losing, and is rude, angry, or complains a lot when they lose.
Examples
- He’s such a bad loser that nobody wants to play with him.
- Try not to be a bad loser—just say, "Well played."
- Her parents told her not to be a bad loser when she cried after the game.
born loser
1/bˈɔɹn lˈuzɚ/
idiom
informal
person seen as always failing
Someone who seems to fail again and again in life, as if they were meant to lose.
Examples
- The main character starts out as a born loser who can’t keep a job.
- He jokes that he’s a born loser when small things go wrong all day.
- The film turns a so-called born loser into an unexpected hero.
good loser
1/ɡˈʊd lˈuzɚ/
fixed phrase
person who accepts losing well
Someone who stays polite and friendly after they lose, and does not get angry or upset.
Examples
- She’s a good loser and always congratulates the winner.
- Teaching kids to be good losers is part of learning to play sports.
- He lost the match but proved he was a good loser.
the biggest loser
1/ðə bˈɪɡɪst lˈuzɚ/
fixed phrase
person or thing that loses the most
The person or thing that does the worst or loses the most in a group.
Examples
- Small towns were the biggest losers from the factory closures.
- In today’s trading, tech stocks were the biggest losers.
- He felt like the biggest loser at the party because he didn’t know anyone.
winners and losers
1/wˈɪnɚz ˈænd lˈuzɚz/
fixed phrase
groups who benefit or are harmed
The people or groups who do well (winners) and the ones who do badly (losers) because of a change or event.
Examples
- Every policy creates winners and losers in the economy.
- After the merger, there will be clear winners and losers among the staff.
- The article looks at the winners and losers of climate change.
sore loser
1/sˈɔɹ lˈuzɚ/
idiom
informal
Person who reacts badly to losing
Someone who gets angry or upset when they lose.
Examples
- Stop being a sore loser; it's just a game.
- Don’t be such a sore loser—it’s only a game.
- He’s known as a sore loser in chess matches.
- He stormed off the court without shaking hands like a real sore loser.
- She used to be a sore loser, but now she can laugh when she loses.