What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Loss vs Sacrifice - What's the difference?

loss | sacrifice |

As nouns the difference between loss and sacrifice

is that loss is an instance of losing, such as a defeat while sacrifice is the offering of anything to a god; consecratory rite.

As a verb sacrifice is

to offer (something) as a gift to a deity.

loss

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Noun

(es)
  • an instance of losing, such as a defeat
  • The match ended in their first loss of the season.
  • The result of an alteration in a function or characteristic of the body, or of its previous integrity.
  • Loss of an arm ; loss of weight ; loss of cognitive functions ; loss of appetite.
  • the hurtful condition of having lost something or someone
  • We mourn his loss .
  • (in the plural) casualties, especially physically eliminated victims of violent conflict
  • The battle was won, but losses were great.
  • (financial) the sum an entity loses on balance
  • ''The sum of expenditures and taxes minus total income is a loss , when this difference is positive.
  • destruction, ruin
  • ''It was a terrible crash: both cars were total losses
  • (engineering) electricity of kinetic power expended without doing useful work
  • The inefficiency of many old-fashioned power plants exceeds 60% loss''' before the subsequent ' losses during transport over the grid

    Usage notes

    * We often use make' or ' take a loss. See

    Antonyms

    * gain * win * (financial) profit

    Derived terms

    * loss leader * loss ratio * at a loss * for a loss

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    sacrifice

    Verb

    (sacrific)
  • To offer (something) as a gift to a deity.
  • To give away (something valuable) to get at least a possibility to gain something else of value (such as self-respect, trust, love, freedom, prosperity), or to avoid an even greater loss.
  • * “Don’t you break my heart / ’Cause I sacrifice to make you happy.” - From the song Baby Don’t You Do It by Marvin Gaye
  • * “God sacrificed His only-begotten Son, so that all people might have eternal life.” (a paraphrase of John 3:16).
  • * Prior
  • Condemned to sacrifice his childish years / To babbling ignorance, and to empty fears.
  • * G. Eliot
  • The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum making this boy his heir.
  • To trade (a value of higher worth) for one of lesser worth in order to gain something else valued more such as an ally or business relationship or to avoid an even greater loss; to sell without profit to gain something other than money.
  • * (Ayn Rand), Atlas Shrugged
  • If you exchange a penny for a dollar, it is not a sacrifice ; if you exchange a dollar for a penny, it is.
  • (chess) To intentionally give up (a piece) in order to improve one’s position on the board.
  • (baseball) To advance (a runner on base) by batting the ball so it can be caught or fielded, placing the batter out, but with insufficient time to put the runner out.
  • To sell at a price less than the cost or actual value.
  • To destroy; to kill.
  • (Johnson)

    Synonyms

    * (sell without profit) sell at a loss

    Derived terms

    * sacrificial

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The offering of anything to a god; consecratory rite.
  • * Milton
  • Great pomp, and sacrifice , and praises loud, / To Dagon.
  • Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else; devotion of some desirable object in behalf of a higher object, or to a claim deemed more pressing.
  • the sacrifice of one's spare time in order to volunteer
  • Something sacrificed.
  • * Milton
  • Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood / Of human sacrifice .
  • (baseball) A play in which the batter is intentionally out in order that runners can advance around the bases.
  • A loss of profit.
  • (slang, dated) A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value.