Meaning

Grinding down or wearing away by friction..

Definitions by Sense

1. Grinding down or wearing away by friction.
2. A gradual reduction in number.
3. (theology) Imperfect contrition or remorse.
4. (transitive) To grind or wear down through friction.
5. (transitive) To reduce the number of (jobs or workers) by not hiring new employees to fill positions that become vacant (often with out).
6. (intransitive) To undergo a reduction in number.

Example Sentences

Recent years have seen […] more and more blatant reversals of previous Supreme Court decisions in favor of the constitutional rights of minorities. These increasingly conservative decisions, and constant attrition of individuals' rights, have directly paralleled the alarming increase of convictions in our courts.

But the rise of multiracialism is not all Kumbaya choruses and “postracial” identity. The N.A.A.C.P. criticized the census change, fearing that since so few in the black community are of fully African descent, mass attrition to a mixed-race option could threaten political clout and Federal financing.

attritioned teeth; attritioned rock

[…] He took her in his arms And kissed her long and wetly, Till, attritioned by her charms, His will collapsed completely.

[…] but the heart of the health services in New York will have to attrition out some 3,000 to 5,000 jobs.

[…] expenses can be cut, by attritioning faculty vacancies […]

The cohort of one hundred students had attritioned to sixty by the end of secondary school.

Word Forms

• attritions
• attritioning
• attritioned

Synonyms for attrition

Antonyms for attrition

Related Words

When Should You Use Attrition?

Use attrition when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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