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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 Although the Eagles came up short on the scoreboard, head coach Irwin Garcia said the program’s focus extends beyond wins and losses. — Raul Avila, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026 Turning the park into an upscale golf course will mean costlier fees and a loss of public space, residents worry. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026 Hassouna and co-editor Denis LePaven pace the chronological patchwork of footage less as a story with a predestined shape, and more as shifting tiles of accumulating losses that the audience can traverse without being too overwhelmed. — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026 For androgenetic alopecia hair loss, minoxidil is the best treatment. — Carly Cardellino Vaccaro, InStyle, 5 Sep. 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
  • Perhaps more importantly, though, the Broncos appear prepared to withstand a potential absence from Dobbins thanks to the addition of rookie Jonah Coleman, who drew rave reviews from the coaching staff for his performance in camp.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Louise — the presence of her absence — hovers over the wintry landscapes like a figment of loss and guilt.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of absence
Noun
  • The victims and the first responders were honored before the game.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In practice, though, victims of instant-payment fraud often recover little.
    — Pawan Jain, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • As the most consistently excellent side in rugby union history, the All Blacks usually repaid any reaction by inflicting a defeat.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • McKee’s defeat ends his bid for a second full term and marks the first time in more than 30 years that a sitting Rhode Island governor has been beaten in a primary.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of defeat
Noun
  • The results are splendid when the duo is dealing, but when the line comes off the ice, the quality of play decreases.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Twenty years later, Kopple embedded herself in Austin, Minnesota and covered the strike against the Hormel meatpacking plant enacted by 1,500 unionized workers, who had recently shouldered a significant wage decrease and benefit cut.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • Jurors heard that after Callan’s birth, Clancy struggled with debilitating depression, sleep deprivation, intense anxiety, psychotic symptoms of dissociation, and intrusive thoughts about harming herself and the kids.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Federal prosecutors in Minnesota had been preparing to charge Castro with deprivation of rights under color of law for the shooting of Sosa-Celis, according to several people familiar with the case.
    — Megan Rose, ProPublica, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of deprivation
Noun
  • While images of destruction flooded social media, 68-year-old Chris White, a lifelong resident of Kauai and the owner of a rental home in Poipu, noted that much of the island was spared significant damage.
    — GENE JOHNSON, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Palestinians possess no natural gift for grief and there is nothing beautiful about enduring destruction and death.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • The loan was cut short that January due to the lack of match minutes.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The sleek, gold-colored coupé impressed with a futuristic design, but baffled onlookers with its cramped two-seat interior, lack of a charging port, and a dubious, far-too-good-to-be-true $30,000 price tag.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of lack
Noun
  • The boy’s death, a second diabetic fatality and ongoing criminal and legislative probes expose gaps in medical training, oversight and Arizona’s deep dependence on large private child-care contractors.
    — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In June, a New York Times investigation documented the way their taller hoods and larger blind zones contributed to rising fatalities.
    — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fatality

Phrases Containing loss

Browse Nearby Words

losing (to)
loss
losses
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Cite this Entry

“Loss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loss. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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