This is the 1531st most frequent Russian word.
потерять
"To lose."
In this sentence, 'потерял' (lost) refers to misplacing or no longer having an object.
Я потерял свой телефон.
I lost my phone.
Here, 'потерять' (to lose) indicates the fear of ceasing to possess something important, in this case, a job.
Она боится потерять работу.
She is afraid of losing her job.
In this example, 'потерять' (to lose) is used metaphorically to describe missing an opportunity.