attritional
Slowly wearing down
Attritional describes something characterized by gradual wearing down through sustained pressure or repeated effort.
An attritional battle or campaign exhausts the enemy through persistence rather than decisive strikes.
Attritional tactics grind down opponents over time.
The word appears often in sports and military contexts: It was an attritional match, settled by fitness rather than flair.
Proceeding by small additions
- cumulativeIncreasing by successive additions
- slowLacking in speed
- protractedExtended beyond normal duration
- sustainedKept up continuously
persistent · prolonged · steady · continual · chronic · long-term · insidious · relentless
Shallow surface wound
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- corrosionChemical wearing away
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- grindingMolar action sometimes
wearing · scouring · chafing · rubbing · scraping · degradation · deterioration · decay
Encirclement forcing surrender
- trenchLong narrow excavation
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- blockadeSealing off a place
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
shelling · campaign · offensive · casualties · losses · front · deadlock · prolonged
State of utter depletion
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
wearing down · debilitation · burnout · enervation · demoralization · undermining · grinding down · resource drain
incremental
Proceeding by small additions
- cumulativeIncreasing by successive additions
- slowLacking in speed
- protractedExtended beyond normal duration
sustained · persistent · prolonged · steady · continual · chronic · long-term · insidious · relentless · unremitting
abrasion
Shallow surface wound
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- corrosionChemical wearing away
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
grinding · wearing · scouring · chafing · rubbing · scraping · degradation · deterioration · decay · disintegration
siege
Encirclement forcing surrender
- trenchLong narrow excavation
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- blockadeSealing off a place
bombardment · shelling · campaign · offensive · casualties · losses · front · deadlock · prolonged · Verdun
exhaustion
State of utter depletion
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- sappingGradually draining vitality
draining · wearing down · debilitation · burnout · enervation · demoralization · undermining · grinding down · resource drain · hemorrhaging
attritionaldecisive
Quick to conclude
blitzkrieg · swift · lightning · quick · rapid
attritionalrestorative
Promoting return to health
regenerative · constructive · sustainable · replenishing · building
- war of attritionProlonged conflict draining both sides
- attrition warfareDepleting enemy resources systematically
- attrition rateDeparture percentage over time