Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

use it or lose it

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.98 in modern English

Syllables: use it or lose it
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

1

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

Skills or knowledge that are seldom applied are likely to be lost with time.

phrase

Property and privileges will be lost if they are not utilized.

phrase

One's physical fitness will gradually decline if one does not exercise regularly.

Example Sentences

"Any piece of curriculum, devoid of an opportunity to wield it, suffers the same fate as unutilized Spanish instruction. The time-tested colloquialism is accurate: use it or lose it."
"The legal rationale was simple: in much of the west, water rights operate under the "use it or lose it" principle. If you don't use the water, others had the right to appropriate it and use it themselves."

Synonyms

move it or lose it

Questions

What does use it or lose it mean?: Skills or knowledge that are seldom applied are likely to be lost with time.

How to pronounce use it or lose it

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “use it or lose it”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “use it or lose it”.
Repeat and practice — Say “use it or lose it” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.