Lose vs. Loose

Lose vs. Loose

Lose is a verb that can mean misplace or not win.

Add an o and you have loose, which is an adjective that means not tight.

Mixing up these two in your writing can lead to unintentional comedy. So look alive, Shmooper.

Examples

"My brother's Little League team is going to lose every game this season if the coach can't convince the outfielders to stop taking naps in centerfield."

Catching z's instead of pop flies? That's an interesting strategy. In this sentence, the verb lose is the correct word because it means thee team will not win.

"Don't lose your receipt. You're going to need it if you want to return those plaid leggings."

Plaid leggings never go out of style. Some would say that they never come into style, either. In this sentence, we need a verb that means misplace, so lose is the right word.

"My safety bar is loose; when we corkscrew, I'm going to fall out of this roller coaster!"

In this absolutely terrifying sentence, we need an adjective that means not tight, so loose is the way to go.

 

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