Lost Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

lost

1 of 2

past tense and past participle of lose

lost

2 of 2

adjective

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
6
: rapt, absorbed
lost in reverie
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
lostness noun

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
Adjective
Luckily, a lost fork is an easy mess to clean up — and the situation can be prevented by tethering it down. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2024 By providing real-time data on each piece of luggage, the system substantially reduces the risks associated with lost or tampered items and acts as a robust deterrent against potential security breaches. Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 Amid a lost season, things were starting to come together for Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins a few weeks ago. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Today we are told ad nauseam that Ukraine is a lost cause and should simply surrender and that globalist elites are miring us in a fresh, senseless conflict. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Andrew Lincoln returns as Rick Grimes and presumably will be reunited with his lost love Michonne, played by Danai Gurira. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024 Film composition isn’t a lost art, but thematic scoring is becoming more and more a lost art. Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 The couple filed a claim to the town asking for $5,000 to help pay for medical bills and recoup from lost salary months out of work. Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Last year, a golden retriever in Ireland walked 40 miles over 26 days to find his owner, and a dog in Texas rang the doorbell at her former shelter after she was adopted and became lost. Cathy Free, Washington Post, 5 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.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

past participle of lose

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of lost was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lost

Cite this Entry

“Lost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lost. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lost

adjective
1
: 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

Legal Definition

lost

adjective
1
: not made use of, won, or claimed
lost opportunity costs
2
: unintentionally gone out of or missing from one's possession or control
3
: ruined or destroyed physically
also : in an unknown physical condition or location
a lost ship

More from Merriam-Webster on lost

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!