cannon fodder

American

noun

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

cannon fodder British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cannon fodder

First recorded in 1890–95

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.

Remember, the Revolutionary Guard was founded to provide cannon fodder during the Iraq-Iran War.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

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

From Washington Times • Nov. 13, 2022

The “partial mobilization” of reservists turns out to be a desperate grab for cannon fodder.

From Washington Post • Sep. 26, 2022

In Moscow, news agency AFP reported witnessing one demonstrator shouting "we are not cannon fodder" as she was arrested by officers.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2022

The wily Austro-Hungarians regarded the Serbs as cannon fodder in the attrition war against the Russians and the Turks.

From Terrorists and Freedom Fighters by Vaknin, Samuel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023