Lose/Loose

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What’s the difference between lose and loose?

People often misspell lose and loose, and even native speakers find these two words tricky. The difference is simple: lose is a verb and loose is an adjective. Keep reading for a detailed explanation of the difference between lose and loose. Don’t forget to check your knowledge in the free interactive exercises.

Example

Oh no, I’ve lost my keys. What am I going to do?

I was wearing loose trousers and they must have fallen out of my pocket.

I hope I didn’t lose anything else.

Lose

Lose is a verb (lose – losing – lost). It rhymes with choose and snooze, but it is spelled with just one o. Lose has a few different meanings:

be unable to find someone or something

Example:: Don’t lose your keys again!

fail to win a game or contest

Example:: Manchester City lost the match.

have less of something

Example:: She has lost 10kg.

no longer have or keep something

Example:: If they keep behaving this way, they’re going to lose their jobs.

Loose

Loose is usually an adjective. It rhymes with goose and moose. We use the adjective loose to describe:

something that is not tied up or enclosed

Example:: Loose dogs roamed the neighbourhood at night.

something that is not firmly in place

Example:: The button on her cardigan was loose.

items that are not held or tied together, not contained

Example:: There is a pile of loose change on the kitchen bench.

clothes that don’t fit closely or tightly

Example:: He wore tight jeans with a loose shirt.

something that is not exact

Example:: He gave a loose translation of the Spanish words.

The verb loose (loosing – loosed) is not commonly used. It means set free.

Example:: Someone has loosed the foxes.

The sentence Someone has set the foxes free is more typical.

Use loose as an noun in the phrase on the loose meaning escaped, or set free.

Example:: Lock up the chickens tonight, there are foxes on the loose again.