What does losing mean?
Losing is a common participial adjective describing someone or something that has been defeated, is unsuccessful, or appears unlikely to succeed. It appears in expressions such as “the losing side,” “a losing streak,” and “a losing battle,” and it can describe either a present situation or one that has already ended in failure. The related noun use refers to the act or result of losing, most often in constructions such as “the losing of the lead” or “the losing of an important game.” Although “losing” can sound slightly more rhetorical than “defeated” or “unsuccessful,” it is neutral in register and common in speech as well as writing. The word derives from lose, so it also functions as the present participle of that verb in forms such as “losing control.”
That is unsuccessful, has been defeated, or is destined to fail.
"A losing streak can damage a team's confidence."
Common in both attributive and predicative positions, as in “a losing team” and “the team was losing.”
The act or result of losing.
"The losing of their lead was the decisive turning point in the match."
This nominal use is relatively uncommon and usually occurs with a determiner or possessive, especially in the expression “the losing of.”
Old English lōsan survives in modern English as lose—and, with the prefix for-, in the evocative word forlorn.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does losing come from?
Losing is the present participle and gerund of lose, with the usual English -ing form added to the base verb. The base verb comes from Old English lōsan, meaning “to lose, perish, or become lost,” and ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root represented in related forms such as German verlieren and Dutch verliezen. The same Old English root contributed to forlorn, originally a past participle meaning “lost” and now suggesting abandonment or hopelessness.
Related word forms
How losing is actually used
The adjectival use is common in British and American English, especially in established expressions such as “losing streak” and “losing side.” The noun use is less frequent and normally appears with a determiner or possessive in constructions such as “the losing of the lead.”