Lose and loose differ by one letter, but the letter carries the meaning. Lose, with one o, is the verb: you lose your keys, lose a game or lose weight. Loose, with two o's, is the adjective: loose trousers, a loose screw, a dog running loose.
The pronunciation is also different. Lose ends with a z sound, like news. Loose ends with a soft s, like goose. The extra o changes both the sound and the job of the word.
This page gives one spelling test, eight examples, and 15 sentences. Every answer explains why the sentence needs the verb or the adjective.
What each word means
lose
lose (verb): to stop having something, to fail to win, or to have less of something. Forms: lose, lost, lost, losing. One o.
loose
loose (adjective): not tight, not fixed in place, or free. Two o's. The related adverb is loosely.
The rule
Lose is the verb
- Lose + thing: lose your keys, lose your phone, lose a match, lose your temper.
- The past and past participle are both lost: "I lost my keys yesterday."
- The -ing form is losing, with one o before the s: "I am always losing my keys."
- A person who loses often is a loser. The word has one o and one z sound.
Loose is the adjective
- Loose means not tight: a loose shirt, loose trousers, a loose tooth.
- Loose also means not fixed: a loose screw, a loose floorboard, a loose thread.
- Loose can mean free or escaped: "The dog is loose in the park", "set the bird loose".
- The comparative is looser and the adverb is loosely: "The pages are loosely tied together."
The spelling test
- Does the sentence need a verb? Use lose with one o.
- Does the sentence describe a thing? Use loose with two o's.
- Lose rhymes with news and has a voiced z sound. Loose rhymes with goose and has a soft s sound.
- Lose has lost an o. When something is lost, the o disappears.
Lookalikes to keep apart
- Loser is a person who loses. Looser is the comparative of loose: "These trousers are looser than those."
- Loosen is the verb meaning to make something less tight: "Loosen your belt."
- Loss is the noun: "the loss of a friend", "a business loss".
- Loose can be a verb in formal English meaning to set free: "loose the horses". Everyday English uses set loose or release.
How to remember
The trick: Lose has lost an o, so it means something goes missing. Loose has an extra o, so it means not tight.
Examples
- Do not lose your passport.The sentence needs the verb, so lose with one o is correct.
- I always lose my keys.Lose is the present-tense verb.
- She lost the match in the final set.Lost is the past of lose.
- He wants to lose five kilos.Lose weight is a fixed phrase with the verb lose.
- These trousers feel loose.Loose describes the trousers, so the adjective is correct.
- A screw came loose on the shelf.Loose means not fixed in place.
- The dog got loose in the park.Loose here means free or escaped.
- He is a bad loser.Loser is a noun for a person who loses, with one o.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: I do not want to loose my ticket. Right: I do not want to lose my ticket.
- The sentence needs the verb meaning to stop having something, and that verb is lose.
- Wrong: I need to loose some weight. Right: I need to lose some weight.
- Lose weight is a fixed phrase with the verb lose, spelled with one o.
- Wrong: One of my teeth feels lose. Right: One of my teeth feels loose.
- The adjective describing a tooth that is not fixed is loose, with two o's.
- Wrong: He is a bad looser. Right: He is a bad loser.
- A person who loses is a loser, with one o. Looser means more loose.
- Wrong: The handle is coming lose. Right: The handle is coming loose.
- The adjective for something not fixed is loose.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
Do not ___ your keys.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. lose The sentence needs the verb meaning to stop having, so lose with one o is correct.
These trousers are too ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. loose The adjective describing clothes that are not tight is loose with two o's.
She ___ her phone on the train.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. lost The past of the verb lose is lost, spelled with one o.
One of the screws came ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. loose Loose means not fixed in place, so the adjective is correct.
He wants to ___ weight.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. lose Lose weight is a fixed phrase with the verb lose.
The dog is running ___ in the garden.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. loose Loose means free or not tied, so the adjective is correct.
I always ___ at chess.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. lose The sentence needs the verb meaning to not win, which is lose.
The knot is ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. loose The adjective for a knot that is not tight is loose.
Do not ___ your temper.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. lose Lose your temper is a fixed phrase with the verb lose.
He is a poor ___ when he loses.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. loser A person who loses is a loser with one o, not looser.
This shirt is very ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. loose The adjective describing a shirt that is not tight is loose.
We ___ the game last night.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. lost The past of lose is lost, used for a game that was not won.
The button is ___ and may fall off.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. loose The button is not fixed, so the adjective loose is correct.
You will ___ the race if you stop.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. lose The sentence needs the verb lose, meaning to not win.
He ___ his wallet yesterday.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. lost The past of lose is lost: the wallet went missing.
Questions learners ask
Why do lose and loose sound different?
The single s between two vowels in lose is voiced, so it sounds like a z: /luːz/. In loose, the double o and the final s keep the sound soft: /luːs/. The extra o also signals the adjective.
Is loose ever a verb?
Yes, in formal or literary English. To loose something means to set it free: "They loosed the dogs." Everyday English prefers release or set loose. Do not use loose for the everyday verb lose.
What is the difference between loss and lose?
Lose is the verb: "I might lose my job." Loss is the noun: "The loss of my job was hard." Use loss after an article or adjective, and lose after a subject or to.
More confusing words
Advice vs advise
Advice is the thing you receive. Advise is the action of giving it. The ending sound follows the job: ice for the noun, eyes for the verb.
Weather vs whether
Weather is the condition outside. Whether means if, usually when there are two choices.
Especially vs specially
Especially means particularly or above all. Specially means for a special purpose, and it usually goes with made, designed or trained.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.