born loser
1
6.5
- noun
- /bɔrn ˈluːzər/
- Offensive
- Despite his efforts, Jake often jokes that he is a born loser in love.
Examples
-
- I guess I'm just a born loser.
-
Feeling sorry for yourself is a great indoor sport enjoyed by all, especially the born loser.
-
The doctor's a born loser.
-
The guy's a born loser but you, gentlemen, have not buried him yet.
-
For a natural-born loser, you certainly got lots of class.
-
I said, "Does that explain why the only people I see coming through that door seem to be life's born losers?"
Fiction book (2001) -
Eddie, you're a born loser.
-
He was a born loser, he's always been a loser and he will always be a loser!
-
He always believes he is a born loser because nothing seems to go right for him.
-
Many of her friends call themselves born losers after several failed business ventures.
Synonyms
810
4.8
A person who often fails and who others look down on
405
2.7
A person who does not succeed at things they try
17
5.8
A person who disappoints others by not doing well
4
7.2
A person who fails to succeed after showing early promise
1
4.2
A person who often fails to reach their goals
1
7.6
A person who often fails and is not taken seriously
A person others think is useless and not successful
A person who does less well than expected for their abilities
Antonyms
How Successful
513
2.0
1
6.3
- Informal
1
5.2
1
4.2
- Offensive
1
6.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a person destined to fail' is directly and compositionally derived from 'born' (from birth/inherently) plus 'loser' (a person who fails or is unsuccessful). The 'born + [noun]' pattern is productive and transparent in English (and has clear parallels in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer this sense despite 'loser' being somewhat colloquial.
Etymology
Born loser is a phrase that pictures someone who seems a loser from the moment they were born, as if bad luck is part of them from the start. That's why it means 'a person who seems destined to fail'.