przegrani

Przegrani is a Polish term used primarily as a plural noun meaning “the defeated” or “the losers” in a contest, conflict, or competition. It derives from the adjective przegrany (defeated, lost) formed from the verb przegrać (to lose) with typical Polish suffixes. In usage, przegrani refers to people or groups who did not win, and it can appear in neutral descriptive contexts as well as in pejorative or evaluative ones, depending on tone and intent.

Grammatical notes: przegrani is the masculine personal plural form used as a collective noun. The corresponding singular forms are przegrany (a defeated person, a male loser) and przegrana (a defeated person, a female loser). The plural can describe teams, individuals, or abstract groups identified as unsuccessful in a given event or period.

Usage and nuance: in sports journalism, politics, or everyday speech, przegrani identifies those who did not reach victory. The term is common and usually non-technical, but it can carry emotional or moral coloring, ranging from sympathy for those who have suffered defeat to denigration in hostile contexts. It is often used alongside antonyms such as wygrani (the winners) or odniesieni (those who achieved victory) to frame outcomes.

Cultural context: Polish media and literature may use przegrani to discuss the social or personal impact of defeat, including themes of resilience, dignity, or injustice. It is a standard, widely understood expression in modern Polish.

See also: przegrany, przegrana, wygrani, porażka.