What is lost? Pronunciation and usage in English

lost means . Learn how to pronounce and use lost through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of lost

lostverb

/lɒst/
Definition & pronunciation of lost

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "lost" in English. There are actually two common pronunciations, and they depend on where you are in the United States (and to a lesser extent, other English-speaking regions).

1. The Most Common American Pronunciation:

  • Sounds like: /lૉst/ (like "lost" without the "uh" sound)
  • Breakdown:
    • "L": Pronounced as a regular "L" sound.
    • "ૉ" (the schwa sound): This is the tricky part! It's a very short, unstressed vowel sound – almost like saying "uh" quickly. It's the same sound as in "about" or "so." It's important to keep it very short and light. Don’t let it linger.
    • "st": Pronounced as the letters "st" – a clear "s" followed by a "t."

2. The British Pronunciation:

  • Sounds like: /lૉst/ (very similar to the American pronunciation, but often with a slightly more rounded "o" sound)
  • Breakdown: The same as above, but the "o" sound in the schwa is sometimes perceived as a bit rounder and more open.

Tips for getting it right:

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • Where are you located (country/region)? (This will help me determine which pronunciation is more likely to be relevant to you.)

Usage and examples with the word lost in English

Let's break down how to use the word "lost" in English. It's a surprisingly versatile word with many different meanings! Here's a breakdown, categorized for clarity:

1. Physical Location – The Most Common Meaning

  • Lost: When you can't find something or someone.
    • "I've lost my keys." (You can't find them.)
    • "Have you lost your way?" (Are you disoriented?)
    • "My little brother is lost in the mall." (He's wandered away and can’t be found.)
    • "The hikers got lost in the forest."

2. Figurative – Feeling of Loss

  • Lost: Used to describe a feeling of sadness, confusion, or disorientation – often related to emotions or a purpose.
    • "I feel lost after graduating college." (Feeling unsure about the future.)
    • "She was lost in thought." (Preoccupied and not paying attention to her surroundings.)
    • "He felt lost without his family." (Sad and without support.)
    • "The character in the book felt lost and alone."

3. Past Tense & Past Participle – Used as an Adjective & Verb

  • Lost: As an adjective, it describes something that was not found.

    • "The book was lost for years." (It was missing.)
    • "A lost wallet." (An empty wallet.)

  • Lost: As a verb, it means to fail to find something or someone.

    • "I lost my phone." (I couldn't find it.)
    • "The team lost the game." (They didn't win.)
    • "She lost her temper." (She became angry.)

4. Other Uses & Phrases:

  • Lost and Found: A place where lost items are kept. "Please check the lost and found near the entrance."
  • Lost Contact: No longer able to communicate with someone. “We’ve lost contact with a family member.”
  • Lost Cause: A problem or situation that cannot be solved. “Trying to change his mind is a lost cause.”
  • Lost in translation: When meaning is misunderstood due to differences in language. “The joke was lost in translation.”
  • Lost track of time: Not realizing how much time has passed. "I was so engrossed in the book, I lost track of time."

Key Tips & Nuances:

  • "Have you lost something?" is a common way to ask if someone has misplaced something.
  • "I'm lost." means you're physically disoriented or don't know where you are.
  • "I've lost my way." Similar to "I'm lost" but often implies a more significant feeling of disorientation.

Resources for More Examples:

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  • What are you trying to use "lost" in? (e.g., a story, a conversation, an email?)
  • What specific context are you thinking about?

Synonyms for the word lost

Idioms of the word lost

all is not lost
there is still some hope of making a bad situation better
  • All is not lost—we still haven’t tried the banks for a loan.
be lost for words
to be so surprised, confused, etc. that you do not know what to say
    be lost in something
    to be giving all your attention to something so that you do not notice what is happening around you
    • to be lost in thought
    be lost on somebody
    to be not understood or noticed by somebody
    • His jokes were completely lost on most of the students.
    be lost to the world
    to be giving all your attention to something so that you do not notice what is happening around you
    • When he’s listening to music he’s lost to the world.
    get lost
    (informal)a rude way of telling somebody to go away, or of refusing something
    • Tell him to get lost.
    • ‘Lend us the car, won’t you?’ ‘Get lost!’
    give somebody up for lost
    (formal)to stop expecting to find somebody alive
      make up for lost time
      to do something quickly or very often because you wish you had started doing it sooner
      • I’ll have to work hard now to make up for lost time.
      there’s little/no love lost between A and B
      they do not like each other
      • There's no love lost between her and her in-laws.

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