loose · lose

Same long vowel /uː/ — but loose /luːs/ ends with a voiceless hiss, and lose /luːz/ ends with a voiced buzz.

One of the most common spelling mistakes in English. Both words have the same long vowel /uː/. The only difference is the final consonant — loose ends with voiceless /s/ (a hiss), lose ends with voiced /z/ (a buzz).

Common error: “I always loose my keys.” ✗

Correct: “I always lose my keys.” ✓ — lose is the verb, loose is the adjective.

⠿ reorder

adjective — not tightly fastened — 'The screw is loose' · 'loose clothing'

mouth shape

long /uː/ — lips round tightly and hold steady — ends with voiceless /s/ hiss, no throat vibration

loose

/luːs/

vowel length

long /uː/

⠿ reorder

verb — to fail to win / to misplace — 'Don't lose your keys' · 'We might lose the match'

mouth shape

same long /uː/ — but ends with voiced /z/ buzz — put your hand on your throat to feel the vibration

lose

/luːz/

vowel length

long /uː/

Key difference

Same vowel /uː/ — only the final consonant differs. loose /s/: voiceless — a sharp hiss, no throat vibration. lose /z/: voiced — a buzzing sound, throat vibrates. Put your hand on your neck to feel the difference.

Example sentences

loose:“The button is loose— it will fall off soon.”

loose:“She wore a loose shirt to the gym.”

lose:“If we lose this match, we’re out of the tournament.”

lose:“Don’t lose your passport!”

Hear it in a sentence

“One of the screws was loose — the shelf was about to fall.”

“She was terrified she would lose her passport during the transfer.”

Hear it in the wild

Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.

YouGlish↗

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