at a loss
Idioms-
Below cost, as in The store was doing so badly that it was selling merchandise at a loss .
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Puzzled, perplexed, in a state of uncertainty, as in When his letters were returned unopened, John was at a loss as to what to do next . This usage was originally applied to hounds who had lost the scent or track of their prey. [Mid-1600s]
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at a loss for words . Unable or uncertain as to what to say. For example, Father's tirade left us all at a loss for words . [Late 1600s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
SpaceX currently operates at a loss and last year it made $18bn in revenue, according to financial disclosures required for it to go public.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
"When I was laid off... I was at a loss for a while," Zhang, 34, told AFP at the academy in Hunan province, handing a fistful of lightly charred kebabs to an instructor for review.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
“I’m at a loss for words,” said his coach, Lionel Scaloni.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
This year’s event has a record number of participants, and is set to break even after operating at a loss for the last two years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
For once my nemesis was at a loss for words.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
