loss leader

noun

: something (such as merchandise) sold at a loss in order to draw customers
loss-leader adjective

Examples of loss leader in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tesla’s European loss leaders include Norway, where sales dropped an astonishing 93 percent in two years, from 1,108 units in January 2024 to a measly 83 in January of this year. Joe Wilkins Published Feb 18, Futurism, 18 Feb. 2026 The theatrical business has always been a loss leader. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026 The defensive front is mostly transfers and also includes Stephen Daley, a Kent State transfer and the team’s tackles for loss leader, who suffered a season-ending injury after the Big Ten Championship Game. Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026 And several distribs acknowledge that theatrical is often just a loss leader. Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for loss leader

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of loss leader was in 1917

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loss leader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loss%20leader. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

Legal Definition

loss leader

noun
loss lead·​er
: something (as merchandise) sold at a loss in order to draw customers
loss-leader adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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