at a loss
Idioms-
Below cost, as in The store was doing so badly that it was selling merchandise at a loss .
-
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]
-
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.
AI remained in focus: Shares in Cerebras Systems slid 20% after it warned that it expects to keep operating at a loss, another reminder of the heavy costs of the artificial-intelligence build-out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 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
Many South Korean seniors reportedly canceling life-insurance policies at a loss to fund stock-trading accounts.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026
The farm has been running at a loss, he added, with next year's crops also not projected to earn Suckling much.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Nora looks at me like she’s at a loss for words.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
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.
