lost
lost
Lost (adj) means Unable to find your way or unsure of your location. Example: “We got completely lost on the way back from the trailhead.”
adj
1
Unable to find your way or unsure of your location.
"We got completely lost on the way back from the trailhead."
"The tourists looked lost, so I offered to show them the way."
"I felt lost in the huge station until I found a map."
2
No longer possessed, existing, or able to be found.
"Many old family photos were lost in the house fire."
"The museum displays tools from a lost civilisation."
"Please hand any lost property in at the front desk."
3
So absorbed in something that you stop noticing what is going on around you.
"She was lost in thought and didn't hear the doorbell."
"Lost in her book, she missed her stop on the bus."
"He sat lost in music, with his headphones on."
How to use lost
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnable to be found, no longer possessed, or completely absorbed in something.
Common pairings
get lost
lost in thought
lost cause
feel lost
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Word forms
- Comparative
- loster, more lost
- Superlative
- lostest, most lost
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We got completely _____ on the way back from the trailhead.
Etymology
The past participle of "lose", from Old English losod.
Synonyms
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disoriented
astray
adrift
off course
turned around
confused
bewildered
befuddled
baffled
confounded
helpless
bemused
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for lost
See all rhymes for lost →Frequently asked questions
What does “lost” mean?
The word “lost” means unable to find your way or unsure of your location. In plain terms, unable to be found, no longer possessed, or completely absorbed in something.
How do you pronounce “lost”?
“Lost” is pronounced lost (/lɔst/ in IPA).
How do you use “lost” in a sentence?
Here is “lost” used in a sentence: “We got completely lost on the way back from the trailhead.”
What part of speech is “lost”?
“Lost” is an adjective.
Where does the word “lost” come from?
The word “lost” comes from Old English. The past participle of "lose", from Old English losod.
Is “lost” a common word?
“Lost” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “lost” have?
“Lost” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: unable to find your way or unsure of your location.
What is the difference between lost and missing?
"Lost" usually describes not knowing where you are or your way, often from the point of view of the one gone astray. "Missing" describes something others cannot find, whose whereabouts are unknown. A lost child does not know the way home; a missing child cannot be located by those searching for them.
Can 'lost' describe feelings as well as location?
Yes. Beyond physical direction, "lost" describes feeling confused, purposeless, or overwhelmed — "lost in life" or "lost for words." It can also mean deeply absorbed, as in "lost in thought." Each sense extends the core idea of not knowing your way, whether on a map or in life.
What is the difference between lost and stuck?
"Lost" means you do not know where you are or which way to go. "Stuck" means you cannot move forward from where you are, even if you know the spot. You can be lost but still moving, or stuck but sure of your location. One is about direction; the other is about progress.
What is the opposite of lost?
When it means not knowing your way, the opposite is being "found" or "oriented" — knowing exactly where you are. For objects, "found" or "recovered" fit. For the emotional sense of feeling lost, opposites include "grounded," "settled," or "sure of yourself." The common thread is knowing your position or direction again.
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