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 Reese was held to eight points, making only 2 of 12 shots from the field, and grabbed nine rebounds in the Atlanta Dream's 67-62 loss to the Golden State Valkyries that evened the series at 2-2. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Neither of those teams were ranked opponents, and both of the losses came in the state of Texas. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 MacBooks are simply better laptops in most regards, with minor losses in display quality and AI functionality. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 Through loss, displacement, uncertainty and the sometimes unbearable weight of impermanence, Altadena residents have endured. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 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
  • Unexcused absences in three consecutive elections freeze tax IDs, block nonvoters from applying to state jobs, hinders loans from state banks, and delays the issuance of passports.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Panthers spent a first-round draft pick on tackle Monroe Freeling this year, who started in Moton’s absence the first few games of 2026.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of absence
Noun
  • The attack shocked the nation, and Jordan declared three days of mourning for the victims.
    — Omar Akour, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • On Sunday, Jordan’s Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah attended a funeral held for the victims while Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited the injured in the hospital earlier.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of victim
Noun
  • Trump can’t let Iran turn a military defeat into a diplomatic victory.
    — , FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • After allocating about 8% of GDP to NEOM, once contract cancellations are included, the government has admitted a costly defeat.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeat
Noun
  • Although the decrease in shot volume wasn’t quite as dramatic, Giddey went 1-for-10 from the field and scored only two points in Wednesday’s brutal beatdown by the Raptors.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Clippers have the largest decrease in the NBA in average age between their current roster and the group that was active for last year's season opener, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • More research is needed to better understand the connection between creatine and cognition; but the supplement may be beneficial for brain health, particularly in older adults and for issues related to sleep deprivation.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Both were transferred to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth and spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit, where they were diagnosed with brain injuries due to oxygen deprivation.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deprivation
Noun
  • About 90% of the city was flooded ​following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, according to the White House.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The suspect, 27-year-old Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano of Stafford, Virginia, has been charged with felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage, and felony injury to a monument, court records show.
    — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • The demonstrations first erupted last month in a high school in Creteil, southeast of Paris, over a lack of staff.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Management is guiding to flat EBITDA margins for the year, as lower-margin acquisitions and a fading FX tailwind offset productivity gains, so don't be worried about a lack of profitability growth in coming quarters.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of lack
Noun
  • According to Kansas City Police Department data, the fatal crash is Kansas City’s 57th traffic fatality this year.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
  • His death appeared to be the first fatality involving a horse carriage in Central Park since the rides began.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All