QUESTION: When should you use lose or loose?

ANSWER: Many people get the words lose and loose mixed up. They have very different meanings, and cannot be used interchangeably. To understand how to use them properly, let’s go over them first:

Lose: To fail to maintain, keep, or to come to be without; the opposite of win. Example: I want to lose weight.

Loose: Not firm or fixed into place; the opposite of tight. Example: My pants are loose.

The big difference here is lose is an action–it’s something that happens. Loose describes a person, place or thing.

Lose and Loose: Tell the Difference

Let’s go over a few examples to test your knowledge. Highlight the space between [ and ] to read the correct answer. Which word should you use?

1. I didn’t want to _____ that fight.
Answer: [Lose. Remember, loose describes something. You're not describing the word 'that'--you're talking about an action here. Use lose instead.]

2. Mary Ann’s trousers are _____, but that doesn’t bother her.
Answer: [Loose. You're describing the state of her trousers, so use loose.]

3. They will probably _____ because their ______ shirts are making it hard to run.
Answer: [Lose, loose. It's pretty evident that an action is going to take place in the first blank, so lose is the right choice. The second blank is describing the state of their shirts, making loose the right choice here.]

So to recap:

• Lose is an action; loose describes a person, place or thing.
• If you’re trying to describe the condition of something, use loose.
• Use lose if you want to show an action that just happened.

Write on–and keep these rules in mind the next time you write.