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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The all-women’s show had a chip on its shoulder after the first women’s PLE in seven years was rushed through a short build and moved to Sunday, essentially as cannon fodder for an increasingly bitter wrestling war. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025 And in Massachusetts, taxpayers are budgetary cannon fodder. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 9 July 2025 Black workers, both migrants and African Panamanians, would be treated as industrial cannon fodder. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 30 June 2025 Lena deserved to be more than momentary cannon fodder. ArsTechnica, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for cannon fodder

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cannon fodder was in 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Cannon fodder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannon%20fodder. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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