lose profits

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lose profits" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about a company not making as much money as they had hoped to. For example: "The company underestimated their overhead costs, resulting in them losing profits."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Unfortunately, they lose profits from price-insensitive shoppers who happen to come in the day of the sale.

The Economist

True, a few big firms, such as Pfizer, the global leader, feel that in Europe they lose profits that could otherwise fund new research (or go to shareholders).

The Economist

Usually, new licences are worth more to incumbents than to new entrants, because they stand not only to gain profits from a new market, but to lose profits from an old one.

The Economist

Stiff penalties on those keeping untaxed wealth in offshore havens will increase from April, while attempts by companies to "lose" profits offshore and pay less tax will come under closer scrutiny.

The Guardian - Business

Many private health-care organizations — primarily for-profit insurance companies — strenuously resisted it, fearing that if the government suddenly provided high-quality, low-cost care for a significant part of the population, they would lose profits or go out of business.

The New York Times

The content industries, both film and music, have been taking a noticeably tougher line on pirates in recent months as they continue to lose profits because of those determined to get content free.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

For example, if you are working at McDonald's getting $15 an hour, McDonald's will not want to lose profit.

The Guardian - Money

However, the growing awareness of sustainable development and peoples' willingness to pay for natural landscapes enable developers to gain rather than lose profit from land conservation activities.

Procedia Engineering

The company will lose profit and their staff will become unemployed.

Huffington Post

There are no airlines volunteering to lose profit by shuttling them away.

Huffington Post

If you are spending that much money, chances are, you will lose profit in the end.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing potential risks in business, use "lose profits" to clearly communicate the possibility of financial downturns. For example, "Investing in this venture carries the risk of losing profits if market conditions change."

Common error

Avoid using "lose profits" when you actually mean losing revenue. Revenue is the total income, while profit is what remains after deducting expenses. Use "lose profits" only when the expenses exceed the revenue, or when net earnings decrease.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lose profits" functions primarily as a verb phrase indicating a decrease in earnings or financial loss. It is commonly used to describe situations where businesses or individuals experience a reduction in their net income.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Wiki

9%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lose profits" is a grammatically sound and professionally acceptable way to describe a decline in earnings, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's most frequently used in news and media, and science. While grammatically simple, using "lose profits" effectively involves understanding the distinction between revenue and net earnings. Remember, profits are what remain after costs are deducted. For scenarios requiring a more nuanced expression, alternatives like "suffer financial losses" or "experience a decrease in earnings" may be suitable. Recognizing the proper context and employing effective alternatives ensures clear communication about financial performance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

suffer financial losses

Emphasizes the negative impact on the overall financial situation.

experience a decrease in earnings

Focuses on the reduction in the amount of money earned.

see a decline in revenue

Highlights the drop in total income generated.

endure a drop in income

Implies a hardship in maintaining the current financial status.

face reduced earnings

Highlights the potential difficulties associated with lower income.

incur financial setbacks

Emphasizes unforeseen negative impacts in financial aspects.

undergo a reduction in income

Focuses on the process of income diminishing.

diminish in earnings

Stresses the gradual decline of profits.

experience a downturn in profitability

Highlights the drop in the capacity to generate profit.

yield lower returns

Focuses on the reduced amount of money gained from investments or business activities.

FAQs

How can I use "lose profits" in a sentence?

You can use "lose profits" to describe a company or individual experiencing a decline in their earnings. For example, "The company began to "lose profits" due to increased competition and rising production costs."

What are some alternatives to saying "lose profits"?

You can use alternatives like "suffer financial losses", "experience a decrease in earnings", or "see a decline in revenue" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "loose profits" instead of "lose profits"?

No, "loose profits" is incorrect. The correct term is ""lose profits"", where "lose" refers to the act of no longer having something.

What's the difference between "lose profits" and "lost profits"?

"Lose profits" describes a present or future possibility of declining earnings, while "lost profits" refers to earnings that have already been reduced or are no longer attainable. For example, a company might fear they will "lose profits" next quarter, and then later report they have "lost profits" this year.