stop-loss

American  

[stop-laws, -los] / ˈstɒpˌlɔs, -ˌlɒs /

adjective

1. designed or planned to prevent continued loss, as a customer's order to a broker to sell a stock if its price declines to a specific amount.

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stop-loss British  

adjective

1. commerce of or relating to an order to a broker in a commodity or security market to close an open position at a specified price in order to limit any loss

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Etymology

Origin of stop-loss

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

The AI agents can buy protective puts, sweep cash into higher-yielding assets, and add stop-loss orders for customers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“Gold has emerged as one of the more exposed assets, with the sell-off driven by long liquidation, stop-loss selling, and investors raising liquidity,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

He had always used stop-loss orders — instructions to sell when a stock dropped to a certain price — to prevent disastrous declines.

From New York Times • May 18, 2022

In commodity markets, gold extended its bounce to $1,778 in the wake of a sudden stop-loss tumble to $1,684 at the start of last week.

From Reuters • Aug. 16, 2021

Therefore, we believe that stop-loss orders are a bad thing and, as a rule, do not recommend them.

From Successful Stock Speculation by Butler, John James