war of attrition

war of attrition — idiom

1. a long, exhausting struggle in which each side tries to wear down the other by s

1.慣用語B2
釋義

a long, exhausting struggle in which each side tries to wear down the other by slowly destroying their resources, energy, or determination, so that the side that can hold out longest wins

例句

Two rebel groups fought a war of attrition in the mountains, with no clear winner.

literal military use: groups + location + duration

Keiko knew the divorce would become a war of attrition, draining their savings and spirit.

metaphorical: legal proceedings as war of attrition

同義詞
反義詞
  • blitzkrieg

    a short, fast, decisive military campaign — the opposite of slow attrition

  • quick settlement

    a resolution reached without prolonged struggle

文法句型

war of attrition

a war of attrition

用法筆記

Used both literally (military campaigns designed to exhaust the enemy rather than capture territory) and metaphorically (any situation where progress is made by steadily wearing down opposition). Frequently appears with 'turn into', 'become', or 'fight a ~'.

常見錯誤

❌The two armies fought a war of attrition that ended in one day.
✅The two armies fought a war of attrition that dragged on for months.
💡A war of attrition is inherently long and gradual; a short conflict cannot be one.
❌It was a war of attrition between the two students over who got the last cookie.
✅The legal battle between the two companies became a war of attrition, with each side bleeding money.
💡A war of attrition implies serious resource drain, not a trivial disagreement.