1
: not made use of, won, or claimed
a lost opportunity
2
a
: no longer possessed
a lost reputation
b
: no longer known
a lost tunnel
3
: ruined or destroyed physically or morally : desperate
a lost soul
4
a
: taken away or beyond reach or attainment : denied
regions lost to the faith
b
: insensible, hardened
lost to shame
5
a
: unable to find the way
b
: no longer visible
lost in the crowd
c
: lacking assurance or self-confidence : helpless
lost without his glasses
7
: not appreciated or understood : wasted
Their jokes were lost on me.
8
: obscured or overlooked during a process or activity
lost in translation
9
: hopelessly unattainable : futile
a lost cause
Synonyms
Examples of lost in a Sentence
Adjective
He was looking for his lost keys.
Many have tried to find the ruins of the lost city.
We took a wrong turn and got lost.
Hold my hand. I don't want you to get lost.
He has been trying to recapture his lost youth.
The original music is lost to us forever.
Recent Examples on the Web
Harrison Bard, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
Authorities with the Everett - Massachusetts Animal Control are asking for the public’s help to locate the owner of a lost cat.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
This is especially dire given that many still have not recovered from lost rents in 2020 due to the pandemic.
—Nikki Beasley, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024
And the conversion to roller coaster park is probably insufficient to recapture lost patronage because most people value SeaWorld for the fish, not the thrill.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
But in 2012 Klaus Lebrecht located the lost shed, and now the two are reunited.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2024
His own personal chimera is a return to a lost Eden littered with eaten apples.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2024
Instead of cajoling faculty to explore, adopt, and conform curricula to OERs, colleges spent a lost decade on Inclusive Access.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Christian Aid Ministries, an Ohio group that assists in finding the lost and missing, has joined in the search for the missing WPVI reported, spending Thursday examining the creek.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
Adjective
On the contrary, dispensaries often mark up cannabis accessory products by a staggering 300%, while neighboring smoke shops do not, resulting in lost opportunities for smoke shops to capture.
—Harrison Bard, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
Authorities with the Everett - Massachusetts Animal Control are asking for the public’s help to locate the owner of a lost cat.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
This is especially dire given that many still have not recovered from lost rents in 2020 due to the pandemic.
—Nikki Beasley, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024
And the conversion to roller coaster park is probably insufficient to recapture lost patronage because most people value SeaWorld for the fish, not the thrill.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
But in 2012 Klaus Lebrecht located the lost shed, and now the two are reunited.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2024
His own personal chimera is a return to a lost Eden littered with eaten apples.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2024
Instead of cajoling faculty to explore, adopt, and conform curricula to OERs, colleges spent a lost decade on Inclusive Access.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Christian Aid Ministries, an Ohio group that assists in finding the lost and missing, has joined in the search for the missing WPVI reported, spending Thursday examining the creek.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lost
Cite this Entry
“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lost
adjective1
: not used, won, or claimed
lost opportunities
2
: no longer possessed or known
a long lost uncle
3
: ruined or destroyed physically or morally
4
: unable to find the way
a lost puppy
5
: having the mind absorbed and not aware of surroundings
lost in daydreams
6
: futile
a lost cause
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