cannon fodder

American  

noun

1. soldiers, especially infantrymen, who run the greatest risk of being wounded or killed in warfare.

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cannon fodder British  

noun

1. men regarded as expendable because they are part of a huge army

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Etymology

Origin of cannon fodder

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Students in about 90 cities across the country took part in a school strike on 5 December in protest against the move, with some using the slogan "Don't end up as cannon fodder".

From BBC

“I’m kind of used to my identity being cannon fodder,” Bennet says in a recent Zoom interview.

From Los Angeles Times

So you are on the side of Mario, not Donkey Kong; the lone gunslinger, not the cannon fodder in the hallways.

From New York Times

“You can best describe those attacks as cannon fodder,” Kyrylenko said in televised remarks.

From Seattle Times

“If they need more cannon fodder, that is what they’ll be doing,” he said.

From Washington Times