Take The L

Take the L means "take the loss." This slang phrase has its origin in sports statistics, in which W stands for Wins and L stands for Losses. Gamers, athletes, sports fans, and social media users use take the L to discuss the act of losing, whether at a game or at life in general.

How do gamers, athletes, and sports fans use take the L?

Most often, gamers, athletes, and sports fans use take the L to taunt opponents who they or their favorite team have just defeated. In this case, take the L is equivalent to "accept you lost, loser." In the game Fortnite: Battle Royale, players can even mock their opponents with a take the L emote, in which their character waves the "Loser" sign while making an L with their body.

However, players and fans may also say they took an L or are taking an L. In this case, the player or fan is accepting their own defeat.

How do social media users use take the L?

On social media, take the L is used to draw attention to users' fail moments, which are usually not sports- or game-related. For example, if a celebrity says something particularly cringe and then doubles down on it, other users may tell the celebrity to "apologize, take the L, and move on."