use it or lose it
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
If you don't use something, you will lose the ability or opportunity to use it.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Nếu không sử dụng, bạn sẽ mất khả năng hoặc cơ hội sử dụng
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “use it or lose it” mean?
If you don't use something, you will lose the ability or opportunity to use it.
Is “use it or lose it” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.