cannon fodder

noun

1

: soldiers regarded or treated as expendable in battle

2

: an expendable or exploitable person, group, or thing

celebrities who have become cannon fodder for the tabloids

Examples of cannon fodder in a Sentence

The poorly trained forces are little more than cannon fodder.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nor could Grossman write about collaborators or the punishment battalions composed of convicts that were used as cannon fodder (one of many parallels between the conduct of the Soviet army and the present-day Russian military in Ukraine). — Nick Holdstock, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026

Regardless, this much is true – Cobolli is French Open cannon fodder no more. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 3 June 2026

The film follows an executive who is required to sign over his employees to be cannon fodder for the Russian war effort in Ukraine. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026

The Kings, Preds, Mammoth ought to all be glorified cannon fodder. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cannon fodder

• broader
• dodder
• odder
• solder
• marauder