liable to lost

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "liable to lost" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "liable to loss"? If this is the case, you can use it when discussing the potential for something to be lost or at risk of being lost. Example: "The documents are liable to loss if not stored properly."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In recent years, phages used for the reduction of pathogenic bacteria have fostered many attentions, but they are liable to lost bioactivity in food due to the presence of acidic compounds, enzymes and evaporite materials.

Carbohydrate Polymers

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

On land amphibians are liable to lose water very rapidly by evaporation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But, as far as one can see, everyone else is liable to lose some money.

Independent

We learn that baristas at Pret A Manger are liable to lose the tip that is automatically part of their salary if they fail to smile at customers.

Independent

If he dismantles the feared secret police services, he is liable to lose control amid widespread calls for freedom, the rule of law and an end to systemic corruption.

The New York Times

Countries liable to lose all or a significant part of their land in the next 50 years, said the EJF report, include Tuvalu, Fiji, the Solomon islands, the Marshall islands, the Maldives and some of the Lesser Antilles.

The Guardian

The Anglo-American system is narrower in this regard, but, at least in the United States, someone who entrusts his goods to a merchant, such as the jeweler in this case, who regularly deals in such goods, is liable to lose his title to the person to whom the merchant sells the goods.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But these figures may reflect the fact that if Kurds refused to identify themselves as Arabs they were liable to lose their land.Since Mr Hussein's fall, the Kurds have struggled to persuade their people to leave the safety of the undisputed Kurdish region for the turbulent borderlands further south and west.

The Economist

If we insist on fulfilling the dream in its entirety, we are liable to lose it all.' " Which is why Palestinians need to drop all their preconditions and enter negotiations and Israel needs to halt settlements and test and test again whether President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of the Palestinian Authority can deliver.

The New York Times

When the show's host, Rob Astorino, recalled finding the cardinal "a pretty nice guy" upon their first meeting, the cardinal warned, "Oh, God, if The New York Times and The Daily News find out you're saying that, you're liable to lose your position in the journalistic community".

The New York Times

However, knowing what talent I was liable to lose was a vital step in mitigating the impact of our move.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "liable to be lost" instead of "liable to lost" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity. For example: "The documents are liable to be lost if not stored properly."

Common error

Avoid omitting "be" after "liable to" when referring to a state of being. "Liable to" requires "be" when expressing the possibility of something happening to something else. For example, instead of "The data is liable to lost", write "The data is liable to be lost."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "liable to lost" functions as an adjective phrase attempting to describe a state of potential loss. However, it's grammatically flawed because it requires the inclusion of "be" to link the adjective "liable" with the past participle "lost". As Ludwig AI points out, the structure needs correction.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

28%

Science

28%

Wiki

19%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

19%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "liable to lost" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI indicates, it requires the inclusion of "be" to form the correct construction, "liable to be lost". This phrase expresses the probability or risk of something being lost. Although examples exist across various sources, they underscore the need for grammatical precision. For clarity and correctness, using "liable to be lost", "likely to be lost", or similar alternatives ensures effective communication and avoids potential misinterpretations. Remember that "liable to lose" (without 'be') has a different meaning, indicating that someone or something is likely to cause something else to be lost.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

likely to be lost

Focuses on the probability of being lost.

prone to being lost

Emphasizes a tendency or inclination to be lost.

at risk of being lost

Highlights the potential danger or threat of loss.

susceptible to being lost

Indicates vulnerability or sensitivity to loss.

in danger of getting lost

Specifically implies an imminent threat of becoming lost.

vulnerable to loss

Highlights the defencelessness against loss.

subject to loss

Indicates a state of being under the power or influence of loss.

apt to be lost

Implies a natural tendency or suitability to be lost.

inclined to be lost

Highlights a predisposition toward being lost.

threatened with loss

Emphasizes the existence of a threat that may result in loss.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "liable to"?

The phrase "liable to" should be followed by a verb in its base form (e.g., "liable to lose") or by "be" + a past participle (e.g., "liable to be lost"). Using "liable to lost" without the "be" is grammatically incorrect.

What does "liable to be lost" mean?

"Liable to be lost" means that something is likely or at risk of being lost. For example, "These documents are "liable to be lost" if they are not stored properly".

What can I say instead of "liable to lost"?

Since "liable to lost" is grammatically incorrect, you should use phrases like "likely to be lost", "prone to loss", or "at risk of being lost".

Is there a difference between "liable to lose" and "liable to be lost"?

Yes, "liable to lose" implies that someone or something is likely to cause something to be lost (active voice), while "liable to be lost" implies that something is likely to become lost (passive voice). For instance, "He is "liable to lose" his keys" versus "The keys are "liable to be lost"".