avoid a loss

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoid a loss" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to finance, risk management, or decision-making where the goal is to prevent negative outcomes. Example: "In order to maintain profitability, the company must implement strategies to avoid a loss during the upcoming quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

Asked how his team could avoid a loss, Stoops said: "Hopefully play better.

The New York Times

Each side needs to allow the other to avoid a loss of face.

The Guardian - Sport

Life for Sweden, which must avoid a loss to stay alive in Euro 2012.

The New York Times

The stock sale allowed her to avoid a loss of about $45,000.

The New York Times

My understanding as an accountant is that a company could never use its own stock to generate a gain or avoid a loss on its income statement.

The New York Times

Having to swerve to avoid a loss in the first week of a Grand Slam event has its bright side (provided one survives to learn from it).

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

If an official deems that a team is "stalling," that is not moving with offensive purpose while controlling the ball, the possessing team must keep the ball within the offensive restraining box to avoid a loss-of-possession penalty.

Wikipedia

But it avoided a loss.

The New York Times - Arts

Cohen avoided a loss of $1.7 million.

The New Yorker

Even more important, he avoids a loss that would have diminished his star to the vanishing point.

The Guardian - Opinion

The May 16 column included an incorrect analysis of how Anand could have avoided a loss in Game 8.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing financial strategies, use "avoid a loss" to emphasize preventative measures against negative financial outcomes. For example, "Diversifying investments can help to "avoid a loss" during market volatility."

Common error

Do not use "avoid a loss" when referring to missed opportunities. It's specific to preventing something negative, not failing to achieve something positive. For example, instead of saying "They aimed to "avoid a loss" of potential clients", say "They aimed to gain more clients."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoid a loss" functions as a purposeful infinitive or gerund phrase, often acting as an object of a verb or preposition. It indicates an intention or action taken to prevent a negative outcome. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Academia

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "avoid a loss" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression used to denote actions taken to prevent negative outcomes, particularly in financial, competitive, and risk-related scenarios. As indicated by Ludwig AI, its widespread use is valid. This expression is most commonly found in news media and scientific publications, lending it a neutral to professional tone. When writing, remember that "avoid a loss" should be used to describe preventing a negative outcome, not merely missing an opportunity. Related phrases include "prevent a setback" and "avert a defeat".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prevent a setback

Replaces "loss" with a more general term for negative outcome.

avert a defeat

Implies avoiding failure in a competitive situation.

sidestep a decline

Suggests skillfully avoiding a downward trend.

mitigate a shortfall

Focuses on reducing the impact of a negative financial outcome.

evade a deficit

Specifically refers to avoiding a financial deficit.

forestall a failure

Emphasizes proactive prevention of an undesirable outcome.

circumvent a downturn

Suggests finding a way around a negative economic trend.

head off a reverse

Implies stopping a negative change or setback before it occurs.

preclude a wastage

Focuses on avoiding unnecessary expenditure or resource depletion.

guard against a slide

Emphasizes vigilance and protective measures to prevent a negative outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "avoid a loss" in a sentence?

You can use "avoid a loss" when describing actions taken to prevent negative outcomes, especially in finance or competition. For example, "The company implemented new strategies to "avoid a loss" during the economic downturn."

What can I say instead of "avoid a loss"?

You can use alternatives like "prevent a setback", "avert a defeat", or "mitigate a shortfall" depending on the context.

Is it better to "avoid a loss" or "minimize a loss"?

"Avoid a loss" implies preventing a loss entirely, while "minimize a loss" suggests reducing the impact of an inevitable loss. The better option depends on whether the situation allows for complete prevention or only damage control.

What's the difference between "avoid a loss" and "prevent a loss"?

"Avoid a loss" and "prevent a loss" are largely interchangeable, both referring to stopping a loss from occurring. However, "avoid" might sometimes imply a more skillful or strategic approach to prevention.