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A giraffe gets loose on the racetrack. Just another day at the races…
Even though the two words are pronounced a little differently, many people confuse lose and loose. (The s in lose is pronounced like a z). Let's explore how they differ...
To lose is a verb, or an action. It means not being able to find something.
Let’s talk about other forms of the word. If you’re describing a person, for example, who lost a race, then they’re the loser.
If you’re speaking about something that happened in the past, then lose becomes lost.
While you usually lose an object, you can also “lose your way”–as shown in the last example.
Loose is an adjective, so it's used to describe something. It means not tight or firm, and it can be used literally or figuratively.
Loosely is an adverb (which describes an action). It can also be literal or figurative. As a side note, lose cannot be an adverb, with an -ly on the end.
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