1
: involving or causing some loss of data
Lossy compression is a way of getting even smaller squeezed files than lossless. This technology strips out data it has been programmed to regard as either unnecessary or redundant.—
Ron Goldberg
Ron GoldbergThe loss was literal: MP3 is what's called a "lossy" data-compression form of audio encoding; some audio information is demonstrably lost in the process.—Virginia Heffernan
Virginia Heffernan2
: causing attenuation or dissipation of electrical energy
a lossy transmission line
a lossy dielectric
Examples of lossy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These kinds of lossy translations would become a secret source of power for ABBA.
—Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 18 June 2025
The goal of lossy image compressors is to discard irrelevant details in pursuit of maximum space savings while minimizing the loss function.
—Irena Hwang, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Oct. 2021
Algorithms for lossy compression include equations called loss functions.
—Irena Hwang, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Oct. 2021
Whether driven by professional needs or perfectionism, the industry expanded to support both lossy and lossless formats.
—Victor Shilo, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
In this approach, an LLM is paired with a true knowledge base—such as an organization’s document archive or customer data—to deliver accurate, up-to-date information without the discrepancies of a purely generative, lossy model.
—Victor Shilo, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
This is a lossy process that can produce more dull colors.
—Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 3 Aug. 2024
This technology enables wireless playback in CD quality with no lossy compression.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
This way of distributing power is fundamentally lossy.
—Brian Cline, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Aug. 2021
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Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 18 June 2025
The goal of lossy image compressors is to discard irrelevant details in pursuit of maximum space savings while minimizing the loss function.
—Irena Hwang, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Oct. 2021
Algorithms for lossy compression include equations called loss functions.
—Irena Hwang, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Oct. 2021
Whether driven by professional needs or perfectionism, the industry expanded to support both lossy and lossless formats.
—Victor Shilo, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
In this approach, an LLM is paired with a true knowledge base—such as an organization’s document archive or customer data—to deliver accurate, up-to-date information without the discrepancies of a purely generative, lossy model.
—Victor Shilo, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
This is a lossy process that can produce more dull colors.
—Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 3 Aug. 2024
This technology enables wireless playback in CD quality with no lossy compression.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
This way of distributing power is fundamentally lossy.
—Brian Cline, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Aug. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Lossy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lossy. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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