lossy

adjective

ˈlȯ-sē How to pronounce lossy (audio)
1
: involving or causing some loss of data
a lossy file format
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
The 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
2
: 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
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.
It’s called lossy compression because some of the data are lost. — Alex Reisner, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026 In contrast, lossy audio is a compressed file format that deletes some of the original audio information. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 However, even high-quality lossy music streaming at half that sampling rate is reproduced with more detail than most other gaming headsets. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026 Other formats, like PNG, do better with text, because their compression format is intended to be non-lossy. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for lossy

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of lossy was in 1948

Rhymes for lossy

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Browse Nearby Words

loss ratio
lossy
lost
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Cite this Entry

“Lossy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lossy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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