Search from various English teachers...
Jordi Jorge
at a loss (meaning)
I would like to know the meaning of "at a loss" in the following context.
I had a friend, a girl. One day I asked her to stop being friends. So she sent me a message saying:
"Only God will know who is at a loss here... hmm is it you who loses the potential of having a good friend or is it me ?"
What is "at a loss" expressing? I wonder if it is expressing something like "in trouble".
Aug 24, 2019 7:30 PM
Answers · 4
The phrase 'at a loss' is wrong here. She is using the phrase incorrectly. If somebody is 'at a loss', it means that they don't know what to do.
The right phrase would be, for example, 'who is the loser' in this situation: you or her.
August 24, 2019
Here It means that it’s not clear who lost something by stopping the friendship . :)
August 24, 2019
It means: ...who has lost here ...
As usual “to be at a loss” means “to be confused”
August 24, 2019
The correct meaning of "at a loss" is to have no idea. You try to gain an understanding, but fail. When you fail to gain understanding, you are at a loss. The thing you lose is your effort spent trying to gain understanding. The sentence you gave sounds like an incorrect usage. I think "who is losing" was intended.
August 24, 2019
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Jordi Jorge
Language Skills
English, Italian, Spanish
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
12 likes · 11 Comments

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
13 likes · 11 Comments

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
10 likes · 6 Comments
More articles