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
Those physical encounters, which SDFC’s players seemed to relish, likely added to Pumas’ attrition.
—
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The reverse fixture between these two sides in October was a familiar one-sided battle of attrition, edged by Chelsea’s 27 shots, 66 per cent possession, and 68 touches in the Spurs box (Spurs, by comparison, registered just five touches in the Chelsea penalty area).
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
So that attrition will take place was too much.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
But for a strategy like this to work, the PLA will need many of them to be fired in one salvo, with a very high attrition rate to be expected.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attrition
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The reverse fixture between these two sides in October was a familiar one-sided battle of attrition, edged by Chelsea’s 27 shots, 66 per cent possession, and 68 touches in the Spurs box (Spurs, by comparison, registered just five touches in the Chelsea penalty area).
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
So that attrition will take place was too much.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
But for a strategy like this to work, the PLA will need many of them to be fired in one salvo, with a very high attrition rate to be expected.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attrition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attrition
erosion
Noun
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The winds also gusted as high as 43 mph at San Diego International Airport, delaying 246 flights, and whipped up ocean waves that are expected to reach the 9- to 12-foot range this week at local beaches, potentially causing beach erosion.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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There will be higher astronomical tides Sunday and Monday, so much of the coast could be vulnerable to at least minor coastal flooding and beach erosion.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attrition. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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