Lose/Miss

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What’s the difference between lose and miss?

Lose and miss are not the same, but many people confuse these two verbs in English. Keep reading for a detailed explanation of the difference between lose and miss, then test yourself in the free interactive exercises.

Example

What a terrible week!

Yesterday I lost my wallet.

And now I’ve missed my flight.

Miss

Miss is a verb. Use miss:

with public transport

Examples:: And now I’ve missed my flight.; You’re going to miss the train!

when you feel sad because someone or something is not there

Example:: I’ll miss you when you’re gone.

with planned or expected events that you cannot attend

Example:: They missed two days of school because they were sick.

Lose

Lose is also a verb. Use lose:

when you can’t find someone or something

Examples:: Yesterday I lost my wallet.; I think I’ve lost my passport!

with games and competitions to mean the opposite of win

Example:: Manchester City lost the match against Liverpool.

when you have less of something, or don’t have something anymore

Example:: He has lost weight since Christmas.