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
With dozens of players competing for roster and practice-squad spots, the preseason can serve as a sink-or-swim exercise in NFL attrition.
—
Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2025
That engagement can lead to less club member attrition.
—John Kell, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025
Holmes tenure has been punctuated by chaos, high attrition within the probation officer ranks and high turnover in the upper levels of the agency.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
By May, 26,000 of those employees had left or will soon leave, reducing the agency’s workforce to 77,000—an attrition that will take place over just seven months (IRS data table).
—Mike Sylvester, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for attrition
Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2025
That engagement can lead to less club member attrition.
—John Kell, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025
Holmes tenure has been punctuated by chaos, high attrition within the probation officer ranks and high turnover in the upper levels of the agency.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
By May, 26,000 of those employees had left or will soon leave, reducing the agency’s workforce to 77,000—an attrition that will take place over just seven months (IRS data table).
—Mike Sylvester, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for attrition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attrition
erosion
Noun
-
Those waves could be on top of a sea surging as much as 4 feet above dry ground, causing erosion and coastal flooding that could go on for days.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and significant beach erosion.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attrition. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
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