Pitch Dictionary by pitch.dog
Plot structure & turning points · Working

All is lost

Also called: crisis low point

ELI5

A low point at which the main character's goal appears defeated or the cost becomes unavoidable.

Used in conversation

“The all is lost needs to land without a long explanation.”

Definition

A low point at which the protagonist's goal appears defeated or the cost becomes unavoidable.

Here “All is lost” means: A low point at which the protagonist's goal appears defeated or the cost becomes unavoidable.

Pitch context

You may encounter “All is lost” in story, structure & screenplay conversations or materials.

Why it matters: Helps describe how a story works on the page and how its dramatic parts fit together.

Caution

This usage is established in practice but is not fully standardised. A domain specialist should review it before release as canon.

Sources & evidence · 4

Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.