war of attrition
Slow mutual destruction
A war of attrition is a prolonged conflict in which each side tries to wear down the other through continuous losses of personnel, resources, or morale rather than through decisive engagements.
Victory goes to whoever can sustain losses longer.
The phrase extends beyond military contexts: The strike became a war of attrition between union and management.
Encirclement forcing surrender
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- entrenchmentFortified or fixed position
- blockadeSealing off a place
- scorched earthDestroy all useful resources
artillery barrage · fortifications · supply lines · logistics · reinforcements · no man's land · casualties · Western Front
Capacity for sustained effort
- persistenceContinuing despite difficulty
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- perseveranceSustained resolve despite obstacles
tenacity · grit · determination · slog · survival · toughness · patience · steadfastness
siege
Encirclement forcing surrender
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- entrenchmentFortified or fixed position
- blockadeSealing off a place
scorched earth · artillery barrage · fortifications · supply lines · logistics · reinforcements · no man's land · casualties · Western Front · Verdun
stamina
Capacity for sustained effort
- persistenceContinuing despite difficulty
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
perseverance · tenacity · grit · determination · slog · survival · toughness · patience · steadfastness · exhaustion
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- WarsWorld War I, WWI, civil war, cold war, Korean War
- Arab-Israeli WarsSix-Day War, Yom Kippur War, Suez Crisis, Israel, Gaza
- Pyrrhic VictoriesPyrrhic victory, hollow victory, decimation, bloodbath
- warfarebattle, combat, attack, war, armed conflict
- military tacticstactics, flanking, maneuver, ambush, battle formations
war of attritionblitzkrieg
Fast, overwhelming military campaign
lightning war · decisive battle · knockout blow · shock and awe · surprise attack
war of attritionmobile warfare
Combat emphasizing movement over position
encirclement · guerrilla warfare · hit-and-run tactics · asymmetric warfare · strategic withdrawal
war of attritiondiplomatic solution
Conflict resolved through envoys
peace negotiations · armistice · ceasefire · peaceful resolution · negotiated settlement
warrior, warfare, warring, warlike, warriors, warlord, warred, attrition, warmonger