Attrition

Quick meaning: Attrition is a noun meaning Grinding down or wearing away by friction.

Meaning

Grinding down or wearing away by friction.

More Meanings

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

Example Sentences

attritioned teeth; attritioned rock

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

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

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

Word Forms

• attritions
• attritioning
• attritioned

Synonyms for attrition

Depending on context, synonyms include attrit, contrition, abrasion, detrition, grinding, corrasion.

Antonyms for attrition

Common opposites include accretion.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include abrasion, detrition, grinding, contrition, contriteness, corrasion.

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