attrition
Americannoun
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a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength.
Our club has had a high rate of attrition because so many members have moved away.
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a wearing down or weakening of resistance, especially as a result of continuous pressure or harassment.
The enemy surrounded the town and conducted a war of attrition.
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a gradual reduction in workforce without firing or layoff of personnel, as when workers resign or retire and are not replaced.
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the act of rubbing against something; friction.
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a wearing down or away by friction; abrasion.
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Theology. imperfect contrition. contrition2
noun
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the act of wearing away or the state of being worn away, as by friction
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constant wearing down to weaken or destroy (often in the phrase war of attrition )
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Also called: natural wastage. a decrease in the size of the workforce of an organization achieved by not replacing employees who retire or resign
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geography the grinding down of rock particles by friction during transportation by water, wind, or ice Compare abrasion corrasion
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theol sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation, esp as contrasted with contrition, which arises purely from love of God
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of attrition
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin attrītiōn- (stem of attrītiō ) “friction”; see attrite, -ion
Explanation
Attrition is a gradual process of wearing down, weakening, or destroying something. When a company wants to reduce its payroll without firing anyone, it will sometimes do so through attrition; that is, by waiting for people to retire or quit without hiring anyone new to replace them. In a more general sense, the word means break down, wear out, or reduce in numbers. A triple overtime basketball game, with many players fouling out, is a war of attrition. When you see the word attrition, think "Gradually chipping away."
Vocabulary lists containing attrition
Unbroken
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This Week In Words: October 19–25, 2019
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But this is a small victory, in a war of attrition.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Since Russia’s 2022 invasion, the conflict has settled into a grinding war of attrition, with both sides deeply dug in.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
“For example, in the periods immediately following our past restructurings, we experienced higher rates of voluntary employee attrition and declines in reported employee job satisfaction,” the company stated.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
But that gap was counterbalanced, according to the data, by the fact that the department lost 204 more sworn employees to attrition under Villanueva than it did under Luna over the same periods.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
Like Verdun, the Somme quickly became a war of attrition in which each side tried to wear down the other.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
