loss
HighNeutral (used across formal, informal, business, and academic contexts)
Definition
Meaning
The fact or process of losing something or someone; the state of no longer having something that one previously possessed.
Also refers to the amount by which something is reduced, a disadvantage resulting from a change, or in finance, the amount of money spent exceeding revenue.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can refer to both tangible (money, objects) and intangible (opportunity, time, life) things. Often implies a negative, irreversible change. In business, 'loss' is a specific accounting term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in core meaning. 'Dead loss' (completely useless) is more common in UK English. In finance, 'loss' vs. 'lost' usage is identical.
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
suffer a loss (of N)experience a loss (of N)incur a loss (of N)make a loss (on N)be a loss to (someone/community)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cut your losses”
- “a dead loss”
- “at a loss (for words/ to explain)”
- “throw someone for a loss”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to negative financial results. 'The company reported an annual loss.'
Academic
Used in statistics, psychology (grief), ecology (habitat loss), and engineering (signal loss).
Everyday
Commonly used for losing items, weight, or in condolences ('Sorry for your loss').
Technical
In physics/engineering: energy loss, heat loss. In telecommunications: packet loss, data loss.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The loss of the manuscript was a blow to scholars.
- They sold the asset at a considerable loss.
- He felt a profound personal loss.
American English
- The team took a tough loss in the playoffs.
- We need to deduct the capital loss on our taxes.
- She's dealing with the loss of her pet.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I'm sorry for the loss of your cat.
- The loss of my phone was very annoying.
- The company cannot afford another financial loss this quarter.
- He experienced hearing loss after the accident.
- The policy aims to mitigate the loss of biodiversity in the region.
- Profits were offset by losses in the overseas division.
- The poem elegises the loss of innocence and the passage of time.
- The algorithm minimises data loss during compression.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'loss' as the opposite of 'crossing the finish line' – you've lost the race. Both 'loss' and 'miss' (as in 'to miss someone') have a double 's' and convey absence.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOSS IS A HOLE / EMPTINESS (e.g., 'fill the loss', 'a gaping loss'), LOSS IS A BURDEN (e.g., 'bear the loss', 'weighed down by loss').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing 'loss' (noun, состояние) with 'lose' (verb, терять). The Russian 'потеря' maps directly to 'loss'. Be careful with 'убыток' which is specifically a financial/commercial loss.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'loose' (неплотный) instead of 'lose/loss'. Incorrect: 'It's a big loose.' Correct: 'It's a big loss.' Forgetting the double 's'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'loss' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually countable (a loss, heavy losses). It can be uncountable when referring to the general concept ('a feeling of loss').
'Loss' is a noun. 'Lose' is a verb. You 'lose' a game, and that results in a 'loss'.
Rarely. Typically negative. However, 'weight loss' can be positive in context. The idiom 'good riddance' implies a positive 'loss' of something unwanted.
It means confused or uncertain, often followed by 'for words' or an infinitive. 'Her remark left me completely at a loss.' 'He was at a loss to explain the error.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Economics Terms
B2 · 50 words · Key vocabulary for economics and financial systems.