L

What it means

Short for 'loss,' used for a failure, defeat, or unfortunate outcome. You can 'take an L,' call something an L, or tell someone to 'stay L'; it's the direct opposite of a W.

Examples

• Forgot my lines on stage, massive L.
• We took an L on that game but we'll bounce back.
• Restaurant was closed when we got there, big L.
• That outfit choice was honestly an L, no offense.

Where it comes from

Sports shorthand for a 'loss' that spread through gaming and Twitch chat (where 'L' is spammed at defeat); it became mainstream Gen Z slang by the early 2020s.

Related slang