Sore loser: Meaning & Example
Hello students! Today’s phrase is one I heard a mom say to her son. Her two boys were playing a game, and the older boy won the game. The younger boy got upset and started complaining that it wasn’t fair, and his mom said, “Don’t be a sore loser.”
A sore loser is someone who reacts with bad behavior when they lose a game or fail in a competitive situation. It’s common for kids to do this, but adults sometimes do it, too! After losing, a sore loser might make an angry face, accuse the other person of cheating, or say bad things about the winners or about the competition.
Being a sore loser is considered very immature behavior. It’s much better to accept a loss gracefully by accepting it calmly and being respectful of other people.
Now you know what the expression a sore loser means. Thanks for watching today’s phrase of the day!
(Can you be a “sore winner”? Yes! A “sore winner” is someone who does not behave nicely after winning a game, contest, competition, etc. – for example, by bragging about winning or making fun of the losers. It’s best not to be a sore loser or a sore winner!)
