Lose vs Loose

I’m hoping to bring you a midweek post each week about easily-confusable words.

This week’s pair of words are so easily confused that even I have to briefly second-check myself at times. The knowledge is there of course, but I always think how wrong lose looks with one o.

So let’s set the record straight:

Lose is a verb. It means to no longer have something or misplace it. It also means to not win something.

You will lose your coat if you don’t put your name in it.

I don’t want to lose my appetite.

She does not want to lose the game.

Loose, on the other hand, is an adjective that means slack and not tight.

Jane tied her hair into a loose bun.

The trousers fit me perfectly last month. Now they are too loose.

I hope this post is useful. Happy writing!