Verliezer

Verliezer is a Dutch noun meaning the person who loses in a competition, contest, game, or other decided outcome. It is the counterpart of winnaar (winner) and is used in sports reporting, games, and everyday language to describe the party that did not succeed. The term can also be used more loosely for someone who fails to achieve a goal or objective.

Etymology and form: Verliezer is formed from the verb verliezen (to lose) with the agentive suffix -er, creating an agent noun for “one who loses.” The singular form is verliezer and the plural is verliezers. In use, it typically appears with the definite article de: de verliezer, de verliezers, and with an indefinite article: een verliezer.

Usage and nuance: The word is generally neutral in core meaning, simply identifying the losing party. However, it can carry a pejorative or evaluative shade depending on tone and context, especially in informal speech. In more neutral contexts, alternatives include de verliezende partij (the losing party) or, in contrast to the English term loser, more neutral phrasing that focuses on the outcome rather than labeling the person.

See also: winnaar, overwinnaar, verliezen, verlies.