lost

USLAWST/lɔst/LOST/lɒst/

10 meanings of lost

Practice

1
did not keepverb
Simple past and past participle of lose, as in 'she lost' and 'has lost'.
She lost her keys somewhere in the park.
They lost the game by two points.
UsageLost is the verb and loss is the noun: they lost, a big loss.
Note
2
adjective
Somewhere unknown and not able to be found.
Like a toy that slips behind the couch where no one can reach it.
My phone is lost somewhere in this house.
The missing keys stayed lost until spring cleaning.
Similarmissing, mislaid, misplaced, vanished, gone
3
can't find wayadjective
Not knowing where you are or which way to go.
Like a kid who can't find the way back to where his family is waiting.
The little boy got lost in the crowded mall.
We were completely lost after taking a wrong turn.
UsageOften get lost or be lost: we got lost in the city.
Similardisoriented, adrift
4
adjective
No longer owned or kept by someone.
Like money you can never get back once it is gone.
His lost savings could never be recovered.
After the fire, she missed her lost family photos most of all.
5
confusedadjective
Mixed up and not knowing what to do, or not able to follow, understand or handle something.
Ten minutes into the science class, I was completely lost.
After his wife died, he felt lost and didn't know where to start.
UsageLost without means you can't manage without someone or something: I'm lost without my phone.
Similarconfused, bewildered, baffled, adrift
Note
6
past helpadjective
Dead, ruined, or so bad that there is no longer any hope of saving them.
Like a sandcastle that the waves have already washed away.
After the flood, the whole town was lost.
He felt like a lost cause after failing yet again.
UsageOften in phrases like a lost cause and lost at sea.
Note
7
fully focusedadjective
So focused on something that you do not notice anything around you.
Like being so deep in a game that you forget about dinner.
She was lost in her book and missed the doorbell.
He sat lost in thought for the whole ride home.
UsageUsually lost in: lost in thought, lost in a book.
Similarabsorbed, engrossed, immersed, rapt, preoccupied
Note
8
thrown awayadjective
Wasted or thrown away without being used well.
Like food left on the plate to spoil instead of being eaten.
All that lost time could have gone into practice.
A lost chance like that may never come again.
Similarwasted, misspent

Less common meanings

9
adjective
Said of a joke, remark or effort that the person it was meant for did not notice, get or value.
My joke was lost on Grandpa, who just looked confused.
All the work she put into the party was lost on her brother.
UsageThe thing comes first, then on and the person: the joke was lost on him.
Similarwasted
10
faded outadjective
No longer able to be seen or heard.
Like a star that fades from view when the city lights turn on.
The ship was soon lost in the thick fog.
Their voices were soon lost in the noise of the crowd.
Similarobscured
Oppositevisible, audible

lost is a form of lose

lose, verb: To no longer have something because you cannot find it, cannot keep it, or have it taken away. Full entry

Forms: loseloses he/she/itlosing -ing formlost past tense, past participle
Spelling: lose → lost: irregular (no -ed)

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of lost apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

This is the past form of the verb "lose," coming from Old English.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Lost is the past form of lose. en.wiktionary.org
The word derives from Old English. en.wiktionary.org