Cool MateGone vs Lost
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Gone
Top 1,000 (very common)
Lost
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
| Gone | Lost | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɡɒn//🇺🇸 //ɡɔn// | 🇬🇧 /["/lɒst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/lɔːst/"]/ |
| Meaning | No longer present or available. | Not knowing where something is. |
| Example | She looked around and realized her keys were gone. | I felt lost in the new city without a map. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be gone, gone forever, gone missing, gone away, get gone | be, get, completely, hopelessly, be, feel, look, completely, totally, very, be, feel, look, completely, totally, very |
| Antonyms | present, arrived, existing | found, discovered |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'went' - 'gone' indicates a state, 'went' indicates an action., Using 'gone' where 'leaving' is more appropriate., Incorrectly using 'gone' in place of 'gone to' for destinations. | Confused with 'loosed' (to make loose), Using 'loss' incorrectly as a verb, Saying 'losted' instead of 'lost' |
| Usage notes | Used to indicate absence or loss. Often used informally but acceptable in most contexts. Avoid in very formal writing. | Use 'lost' when someone can't find their way or something is missing. It's appropriate in both casual and formal situations. Avoid it in very specific technical contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Gone vs Lost
What's the difference between Gone and Lost?
Gone: No longer present or available. Lost: Not knowing where something is.
Can you show an example of each?
Gone: She looked around and realized her keys were gone. Lost: I felt lost in the new city without a map.
Can I use Gone and Lost interchangeably?
Not always. Gone and Lost are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.