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
This concern is not uncommon, as PhD programs on a national level have high attrition rates ranging from 36 to 51 percent, depending on the institution, program, area of study, financial backing, and personal factors.
—
Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 19 Nov. 2024
There’s also the national issue of attrition, as the larger, older generation ages out of the workforce, which is something Harris pointed out.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2024
The individual phase is a classic foothold attrition challenge.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
So if Trump is unable to bring significant pressure on Putin’s political regime, then the outcome is that Ukraine will be condemned to fight a rear-guard action, a war of attrition against a superior power that can sacrifice lives more easily at a far higher scale.
—Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attrition 
Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 19 Nov. 2024
There’s also the national issue of attrition, as the larger, older generation ages out of the workforce, which is something Harris pointed out.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2024
The individual phase is a classic foothold attrition challenge.
—Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
So if Trump is unable to bring significant pressure on Putin’s political regime, then the outcome is that Ukraine will be condemned to fight a rear-guard action, a war of attrition against a superior power that can sacrifice lives more easily at a far higher scale.
—Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attrition
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Cite this Entry
“Attrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attrition. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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