Difference Between Loose and Lose

Loose vs Lose

Difference between loose and lose is very important to understand because, if not, you might convey a complete different meaning. Loose and lose are two terms commonly misused because people tend to pronounce them the same. However, loose is completely different from lose. The similarity they have between them is just their pronunciation, which again is wrongly done by most people. However, you should keep in mind that not only the pronunciation changes between these two words. There is also a distinct difference in meaning and usage that should be taken into consideration.

Loose and lose are commonly misused and wrongly interchanged because of the English language’s lack of consistency in the pronunciation of words ending in ‘oose’ and ‘ose’. For example, choose is pronounced with a ‘Z’ sound at the end, while loose is pronounced with the ‘S’ sound at the end. Chose is also pronounced with an ‘S’ sound at the end, but lose is pronounced with the ‘Z’ sound. You can now see how the confusion arises when it comes to the pronunciation of loose and lose.

What does Loose mean?

Loose is an adjective that means ‘not tight’ or ‘free of any constraints’. It is commonly used to describe the state of your clothes or any fixture, as in ‘That shirt is loose.’ And ‘The door hinges are loose.’ It is also a verb that means ‘to set free’. As a verb it is used as ‘Let the dogs loose!’ In the case of the word loose, there are well-known phrases such as ‘on the loose’ too. On the loose means ‘having escaped from confinement.’ For example,

The serial killer, Bloody Harry, is on the loose. People are advised not to confront him if they see him.

In this sentence, the serial killer has escaped from prison. That is what is meant by on the loose.

What does Lose mean?

Lose is commonly a verb that means to ‘no longer have’, ‘to misplace’, ‘be unsuccessful in earning money in a business’ or to ‘fail to win’. Examples of its usage are as follows:

I will lose my job if I do not get this deal.

Here, the word lose is used in the sense, no longer have or cease to have. So, the sentence means, I will cease to have my job if I do not get this deal.

If I lose my wallet, my mom is going to kill me.

In this example, the word lose is used in the sense of misplace. As a result, the sentence means, if I misplace my wallet, my mom is going to kill me.

We are losing money on the Crispy Noodles.

Here, lose means to be unsuccessful in earning money in a business. So, the sentence means we are unsuccessful in earning money from Crispy Noodles.

The Lakers are going to lose against the Celtics in the finals.

In this sentence, the word lose means to fail to win. So, the sentence means the Lakers are going to fail to win against the Celtics in the finals.

“If I lose my wallet, my mom is going to kill me.”

What is the difference between Loose and Lose?

• Loose is an adjective while lose is a verb, although loose can be used as a verb as well.

• Loose is pronounced with a ‘s’ at the end while lose is pronounced with a ‘z’ at the end.

• Loose means not tight or free of any constraints as an adjective. As a verb loose means set free.

• Lose is a verb that has several meanings such as no longer have, misplace, be unsuccessful in earning money in a business and fail to win. The meaning depends on the context the word is used.

Summary:

Loose vs Lose

Loose is mainly an adjective that means ‘not tight’ or ‘free of any constraints’ and a verb that means ‘to set free’. It is pronounced with an ‘S’ sound at the end. Lose is a verb the means ‘to no longer have’, ‘to misplace’, ‘to fail in making money’ and ‘to not win’. It is pronounced with a ‘Z’ sound at the end. If people can remember that ‘loose rhymes with noose’ and that ‘lose is loose that lost an o’ then they will not misuse and mispronounce these two words again.

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