losing course

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "losing course" is not technically correct and should not be used in written English.
The phrase you may be looking for is "losing course" or "off course," which is used to describe a situation in which something is not proceeding as planned. For example: "The project quickly went off course when the main supplier had to be replaced."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Before Vann left Saigon, he and Porter had agreed on a number of goals they saw as the foundation blocks for a strategy to reverse this losing course and win the war.

The New Yorker

If you kept waiting at the restaurant or working with the employee, you fell into a trap that organizational behavior expert Barry Staw calls escalation of commitment to a losing course of action.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

All but the driver, Joseph Beer, were killed after the car lost course in Malverne, N.Y., shortly after 3 30 a.m. on Monday.

The New York Times

The most important reason Yale lost course in Singapore is that Levin & Co. actually think they've found it there.

Huffington Post

Humanity's kind of lost, we fucked up the planet, it's time to go, but something goes wrong really early and the spaceship just loses course and goes straight into nowhere".

Vice

I want to fall in love with unfamiliar lost courses on dirt-paved roads..

Huffington Post

Of course, losing track of the problem of fat is hardly a danger.

Forbes

That would mean losing, of course — but, hell, almost all of them are going to lose anyway.

The New Yorker

I turned to the group and joked, "Oh no, we're losing!" Of course, we were fine.

The New Yorker

In these cases, the flowchart can be still followed bypassing the missing steps, but losing, of course, part of its identification capability.

Heritage Science

The Mets lost, of course.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation that is not progressing as planned, prefer using the phrase "off course" or "failing strategy" instead of "losing course" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "losing course" when you mean to say something has deviated from its intended path. The correct idiom is "off course". For example, say "The project went off course" not "The project went losing course".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "losing course", while found in some contexts, functions as a noun phrase that attempts to describe a situation or endeavor that is failing or deviating from its intended path. Ludwig indicates that it is not technically correct and provides alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "losing course" appears in some contexts, it's not considered standard English. According to Ludwig, the phrase is technically incorrect, and it's better to use alternatives like "off course", "failing strategy", or "unsuccessful approach" depending on the specific meaning you want to convey. When writing, prioritize clarity and accuracy; therefore, it’s best to avoid "losing course" and opt for more accepted and precise language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

failing strategy

Focuses on the ineffectiveness of the approach.

unsuccessful approach

Highlights the lack of success in the chosen method.

doomed path

Emphasizes the inevitability of a negative outcome.

ill-fated venture

Highlights the unfortunate and likely unsuccessful nature of the undertaking.

declining trajectory

Refers to a downward trend or diminishing prospects.

losing battle

Focuses on the struggle against an opponent where defeat is likely.

futile effort

Highlights the lack of any positive result despite effort expended.

doomed undertaking

Underlines the likely failure of the project from the outset.

off course

Indicates a deviation from the intended route or plan.

failing enterprise

Describes a business or project that is not succeeding.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "losing course" to sound more natural?

Instead of "losing course", consider using phrases like "off course", "failing strategy", or "unsuccessful approach" depending on the context.

Is "losing course" grammatically correct?

While you might find the phrase "losing course" in some texts, it's not considered standard English. It's better to use phrases like "off course" or "failing strategy".

When is it appropriate to use "off course" instead of "losing course"?

Use "off course" when something deviates from its intended path or plan. It's a more idiomatic and grammatically correct alternative to "losing course".

What does "off course" mean?

"Off course" means deviating from an intended route, plan, or goal. It implies that something is not proceeding as expected or desired.