loss

noun

ˈlȯs How to pronounce loss (audio)
Definition of lossnext
1
as in absence
the act or an instance of not having or being able to find he was upset over the loss of his wedding ring

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in victim
a person or thing harmed, lost, or destroyed the platoon was able to accomplish its reconnaissance mission without any losses

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in defeat
failure to win a contest we're discouraged by our loss on Friday, but we're training hard for next week's game nevertheless

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened was determined to stay on the diet until he showed a loss of 10 pounds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in deprivation
the state of being robbed of something normally enjoyed her loss of sleep meant that she would have trouble concentrating at work the next day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the loss of the oil tanker was more significant than the loss of its cargo

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of loss Cyclosporiasis has been sickening thousands of people across the country, particularly in Michigan, recently with an intestinal illness causing explosive diarrhea with severe stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and unintended weight loss. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026 The Braves let a 5-3 lead slip away, then couldn’t get one more clutch hit down the stretch in a 7-6 loss to the Rangers on Saturday at Truist Park. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 18 July 2026 By some accounts, drones are responsible for more than 90 percent of Russia’s losses. — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026 Photos from the Chicago Cubs’ 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on July 17, 2026, at Wrigley Field. — John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for loss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loss
  1. absence
  2. victim
  3. defeat
  4. decrease
  5. deprivation
  6. destruction
  7. lack
  8. fatality
Noun
  • The collective leadership that has emerged in the absence of Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, the new supreme leader, appears to believe that resistance is the only option for now.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • In the absence of some senior players, the tour will provide the perfect stage for the club’s youngsters to try to force their way into Iraola’s plans.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of absence
Noun
  • Brown’s wife was Bruneau’s best friend at the time of the victim’s death, and both women worked as flight attendants for Braniff Airlines, a Grapevine police detective wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit filed in June.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • Numerous victims have said that their names and other sensitive information were not properly redacted in the files and criticized Blanche and the department for failing to investigate Epstein’s potential co-conspirators.
    — Ben Wieder, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • This ongoing divide is a recipe for frustration at best and unthinkable defeat at worst.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
  • The legal defeat meant the administration had to send refunds to importers that had paid the levies.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of defeat
Noun
  • Within the goods category, gasoline tumbled 12%, accounting for about two-thirds of the monthly decrease.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 15 July 2026
  • While this natural decrease is not unique to Florida, its social, economic and demographic impacts may be more pronounced if the state is no longer a migrant magnet.
    — Matt Brooks, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • Dead maybe was the key word as sleep deprivation can be fatal.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 17 July 2026
  • For someone with sleep deprivation, the best treatment would be rest, for instance.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
Definition of deprivation
Noun
  • Growing concerns over wildfire preparedness The destruction of Collins has renewed questions about whether Ontario’s wildfire strategy is keeping pace with increasingly intense fire seasons.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Two Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill to protect federal artworks, including New Deal-era masterpieces, from possible sale or destruction.
    — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • The report included the lack of antimissile capabilities in the new aircraft, a Boeing 747-8 that was donated by the government of Qatar and later retrofitted.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 July 2026
  • Despite its lack of cutting-edge lithography machines, the incredible imbalance between supply and demand was enough to prompt it to enter the space.
    — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 16 July 2026
Definition of lack
Noun
  • The most recent fatality was on July 11, when a 64-year-old Greek hiker died after collapsing on a trail.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • The eighth fatality was at a similar center in Elektrostal in the Moscow region.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of fatality

Phrases Containing loss

Browse Nearby Words

losing (to)
loss
losses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loss. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on loss

Nglish: Translation of loss for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of raffish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All