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.
“I’m at a loss for words. You’ve been there for me the whole time, encouraging me. I’m just so thankful.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Adam Ramsay-Peaty, however, appeared at a loss after his second bronze medal of the Commonwealth Games.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
I have been given the contact information for a friend, but beyond that, I am at a loss.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 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
Strider guided them confidently among the many crossing paths, although left to themselves they would soon have been at a loss.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
