as in erosion
a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction
took the machinery out of operation since attrition had led to the main mechanism's breaking
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Recent Examples of attrition
At its nadir earlier this year, between the resignations and hiring attrition, the office was down to fewer than 90 criminal prosecutors — a huge dip for an office typically budgeted for about 140.
—
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
The viability of a quick military victory against Iran is highly questionable, as a large-scale war would lead to a prolonged conflict with high risks of attrition, regional instability, and unsustainable costs.
—Sergio Munoz Bata, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Russia continues to be wedded to a method of war that relies on attrition, scale and firepower.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026
Before the vote, Coppell ISD had been reducing staff through attrition, but afterwards, additional cuts became necessary to make up the deficits, according to Amanda Simpson, director of communications.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attrition
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
The viability of a quick military victory against Iran is highly questionable, as a large-scale war would lead to a prolonged conflict with high risks of attrition, regional instability, and unsustainable costs.
—Sergio Munoz Bata, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Russia continues to be wedded to a method of war that relies on attrition, scale and firepower.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026
Before the vote, Coppell ISD had been reducing staff through attrition, but afterwards, additional cuts became necessary to make up the deficits, according to Amanda Simpson, director of communications.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attrition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attrition
erosion
Noun
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Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat who was imprisoned from 2018 to 2021, said Tuesday the agreement will lead to unfair competition and the erosion of Canada’s industrial base.—
Laura Dhillon Kane,
Bloomberg,
21 Apr. 2026
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But some observers foresee the nickel’s ultimate demise, given the steady march of inflation and the gradual erosion of purchasing power in a five-cent coin.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attrition. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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