One letter, two sounds
loose vs lose
Meaning, pronunciation, and examples
Loose is usually an adjective meaning “not tight.” Lose is a verb meaning “to no longer have” or “to fail to win.” Loose ends with /s/; lose ends with /z/.
American English
Hear the difference
Each term has female and male playback at natural speed. Listen without looking, then compare the recordings with the IPA.
Word 1
loose
adjective
Not tight, fixed, or firmly held in place.
US pronunciation
/luːs/
UK IPA
/luːs/
Hear two natural voices
Word 2
lose
verb
To stop having something or to fail to win.
US pronunciation
/luːz/
UK IPA
/luːz/
Hear two natural voices
Sound contrast
How to tell them apart
Hold the long OO sound in both words. For loose, finish with quiet air: /s/. For lose, switch on your voice at the end: /z/. Touch your throat to feel the vibration in lose.
Direct answer
What is the difference?
Use loose to describe something free, relaxed, or not firmly attached. Use lose for the action of misplacing something, becoming deprived of it, or not winning. The spelling is deceptive: loose has two written o’s but the shorter final sound.
Listen in context
6 example sentences
Context makes meaning, grammar, and natural rhythm easier to understand. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
loose
- This screw is loose and needs tightening.
- She wore a loose cotton shirt.
- The dog got loose in the park.
Examples with
lose
- Try not to lose your keys again.
- Our team may lose the final match.
- I always lose track of time while reading.
Try it yourself
Find the words your listener may hear differently
A checkup can show whether a speech recognizer heard the word you intended. One result is a clue, not a judgment about your accent.