Lose vs. Loose
Two of the most commonly confused words in the English language are lose and loose. These words are not homophones-they sound different. But their spellings are so similar, as are their sounds, that even adept grammarians sometimes stop to make sure they are using them correctly.
Lose (pronounced "lo͞oz") is a verb meaning unable to find, not having, or to fail to win something.
1. After watching our favorite team lose the game, we decided to watch a movie instead of watching more football.
2. I always seem to lose my car keys when I am in a hurry to go somewhere.
3. It really hurts to lose a friend, but sometimes, we outgrow the friendship.
4. I am very competitive, and I don't like to lose at anything. That's probably why my friends always want me on their teams.
Loose (pronounced "lo͞os") is an adjective meaning not tight, not fitted, or able to be moved.
It can also function as a verb meaning to set free.
1. The door knob on my closet is loose, so I need a screwdriver to fix it.
2. These pants are too loose, so I need a smaller size.
3. The announcer for the fox hunt yelled, "Loose the hounds!"
4. The fence was loose at the bottom, so the dog was able to escape easily.
While their pronunciations are only slightly different, you can see that these two words have very different meanings. So, you want to make sure to use them correctly. An easy way to remember is that loose has 2 o's-and its meaning has to do with too much movement!
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