loser
gb/lˈuzɚ/ us/lˈuzɚ/
A2
English
~ 6700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
informal
B1
entity
1
person viewed as a failure
A person who other people think is not successful or not cool, and do not respect.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a loser
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.
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'.)
Collocations
a total loser
|such a loser
|feel like a loser
|act like a loser
|call [someone] a loser
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|identity
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In high school he felt like a complete loser with no real friends.
- She called him a loser for living with his parents and not having a job.
- 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.
- She said, "I am such a loser," after she lost her job and her boyfriend.
- 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.
unknown
A2
entity
2
person or team that does not win
The person or team that does not win a game or competition.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the loser in [a game/competition]
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.
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.)
Collocations
the loser of the match
|clear loser
|election loser
|be the loser in [a race]
|declare the winner and loser
Themes
sports
|competition
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The loser of the final match will still receive a silver medal.
- In any game there has to be both a winner and a loser.
- 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.
- He was the loser in the tennis match yesterday.
- 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.
Noun
B2
entity
3
person harmed by change or decision
A person or group that is in a worse situation because of a change, law, or decision.
Usage pattern:
[something] creates winners and 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.
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.)
Collocations
winners and losers
|economic losers
|potential losers
|identify the losers
|the biggest losers from [a policy]
Themes
economics
|politics
|society
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There will always be winners and losers when a new trade deal is signed.
- Small shops are often the losers when big supermarkets open nearby.
- 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.
- Many farmers were the losers when food prices dropped.
- 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.
Noun
B2
entity
4
thing that performs or sells badly
A product, plan, or investment that does not do well and may lose money or fail.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a loser in [market/sales]
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.
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.)
Collocations
a real loser
|stock market losers
|a box-office loser
|turn a loser into a winner
|a financial loser
Themes
business
|finance
|economics
Examples
- That model turned out to be a real loser in the smartphone market.
- The report lists the day’s biggest winners and losers on the stock exchange.
- 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.
- This stock is a loser; it keeps going down.
- 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.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
5
card unlikely to win a trick
In some card games, a card that almost surely will not win a trick.
Usage pattern:
[someone] counts [number] losers in [a suit]
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.)
Collocations
a loser in [hearts/spades/etc.]
|cover a loser
|discard a loser
|count your losers
|turn a loser into a winner
Themes
games
|recreation
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- In this hand you have two losers in hearts and one in clubs.
- You can discard a loser on partner’s long spade suit.
- The textbook explains how to count losers before you bid.
Learner examples
- In bridge, a low card is often a loser.
- She counted three losers in her hand before she played.
- 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.
Grammar
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.