attrition

[uh-trish-uhn]

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. a gradual reduction in workforce without firing or layoff of personnel, as when workers resign or retire and are not replaced.

4. the act of rubbing against something; friction.

5. a wearing down or away by friction; abrasion.

6. Theology.,  imperfect contrition. contrition2

attrition

/ əˈtraɪtɪv, əˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of wearing away or the state of being worn away, as by friction

2. constant wearing down to weaken or destroy (often in the phrase war of attrition )

3. Also called: natural wastage. a decrease in the size of the workforce of an organization achieved by not replacing employees who retire or resign

4. geography the grinding down of rock particles by friction during transportation by water, wind, or ice Compare abrasion corrasion

5. theol sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation, esp as contrasted with contrition, which arises purely from love of God

Other Word Forms

• attritional adjective
• attritive adjective
• interattrition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of attrition¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin attrītiōn- (stem of attrītiō ) “friction”; attrite, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of attrition¹

C14: from Late Latin attrītiō a rubbing against something, from Latin atterere to weaken, from terere to rub

Example Sentences

It was a rate of attrition that would make even the Conservative Party of recent years blush.

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The company plans to cut the workforce through natural attrition, a reduction of positions, divestment, outsourcing, and redundancies.

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The grueling attrition produced surprises, however, like Magdeleine Vallieries, a Canadian professional who paid for her own plane ticket to Rwanda, and triumphed in the women’s elite race by charging away from the tired favorites.

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And newcomer Revelio Labs uses figures from networking platforms to get readings on measures including employment, salaries, hiring and attrition.

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In its August economic update, the Federal Reserve observed that some employers were “reducing head counts through attrition—encouraged, at times, by return-to-office policies.”

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Related Words

• erosion