making a loss

USAGE SUMMARY

'making a loss' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a financial situation or a situation in which something is not doing well. For example, "The company has been making a loss for the past 4 quarters."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Several airports are already making a loss, and more will become loss-making as the year progresses," said David Bishop, head of policy at the AOA.

The Guardian - Travel

Pretty much straight away, landlords started making a loss.

The Guardian

It might even be making a loss at the moment.

The Guardian - Money

Despite making a loss, it wasn't completely in vain.

The Guardian - Books

How long have the railways been making a loss?

The New York Times

I will then make sales but each of those sales I'm making a loss on.

Yale University

But with nearly 800 stores across the country, it is still making a loss.

The Guardian - Business

They see no point in milking cows if you are making a loss".

The Guardian

"He is making a loss," said the Tate's director Nicholas Serota.

The Guardian - Arts

He was no longer able to carry the risk of making a loss.

The Guardian

Operating losses for 2007 were $32.8m (post-tax $32.6m), making a loss per share of $2.74.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a company's financial performance, use "making a loss" to clearly indicate that the company's expenses exceed its revenue. Consider the context and choose the most appropriate synonym for variety.

Common error

Avoid using "making a loss" casually when discussing investments. Instead, specify whether the loss is realized (actual sale at a lower price) or unrealized (decrease in paper value), or when describing a company's overall performance, opt for terms like "experiencing losses" to better portray a sustained trend of underperformance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "making a loss" functions as a verb phrase. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is used to describe the action of a business or entity incurring financial losses. Examples from various sources illustrate its use in discussing company finances, economic situations, and personal financial outcomes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "making a loss" is a grammatically correct and commonly used verb phrase that describes a situation where expenses exceed income. As Ludwig AI confirms, its primary function is to communicate financial underperformance. It is prevalent in news, academic, and formal business contexts. Alternative phrases include ""losing money"" and ""incurring a loss"". When using this phrase, be mindful of the context and audience to ensure clear and accurate communication regarding financial matters.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

losing money

A simpler and more direct way of saying "making a loss".

incurring a loss

Focuses on the action of experiencing a loss, similar to "making a loss".

sustaining a loss

Highlights the continuation or endurance of the loss over a period.

operating at a deficit

Specifies that the loss is occurring within the regular business operations.

running a loss

Similar to "making a loss", but implies a continuous or ongoing state.

operating unprofitably

Focuses on the lack of profitability in the operations.

experiencing a financial setback

Broader term that includes making a loss but can also refer to other financial difficulties.

posting a negative balance

Indicates a specific financial outcome where the expenses exceed the income.

failing to profit

Emphasizes the lack of profit rather than the presence of a loss.

being in the red

An idiomatic expression indicating a state of financial loss.

FAQs

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

You can use "making a loss" to describe a business or project that is spending more money than it is earning. For example: "The company has been "making a loss" for the last three years due to increased operating costs."

What are some alternatives to "making a loss"?

Alternatives to "making a loss" include "losing money", "incurring a loss", or "operating at a deficit", depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "making a loss"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to say "making a loss". Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage.

What's the difference between "making a loss" and "breaking even"?

"Making a loss" means that a business's expenses exceed its income, while "breaking even" means that its income equals its expenses, resulting in neither a profit nor a loss.