L
L means “loss.” Calling something an L says it’s a failure, a bad decision or an unlucky break. To “take the L” means to accept a loss or defeat.
What does L mean?
L is shorthand for a loss, taken from sports records, where L stands for losses. In slang, anything disappointing can be an L: missing the bus, a bad haircut, a weak argument, or getting rejected. It’s the opposite of a W.
“Take the L”
“Take the L” means accept that you lost and move on. It can be gracious (“I was wrong, I’ll take the L”) or a taunt (“just take the L”). People also say someone “took a big L” when things went badly for them.
How to use L
- “Forgot my headphones on a six-hour flight. Massive L.”
- “That’s an L take, sorry.”
- “I lost the bet, I’ll take the L.”
- “Rain on the one day we planned a picnic? L.”
Is L rude?
Not usually. Calling someone’s opinion “an L take” is blunt but common online banter. Saying a person is “an L” is harsher and closer to an insult.
Where L comes from
Like W, L comes from sports win-loss records, and Merriam-Webster lists L as an abbreviation for “loss.” According to Know Your Meme, “take the L” was defined on Urban Dictionary in 2003 and became widespread in the mid-2010s.
Related terms
See more terms like this in our Gen Z slang dictionary.
Example sentence
Spent an hour in line and they sold out right before me. Huge L.
Similar words
loss, fail, flop
Notes
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