Pronunciation: /ˈpɪrɪk/

Definitions of pyrrhic

noun a metrical foot used in formal poetry, consisting of two short or unaccented syllables

Example Sentences

A1 I learned about pyrrhic victories in my history class.

A2 The general's decision to attack proved to be a pyrrhic move.

B1 The team celebrated their pyrrhic win, unaware of the consequences.

B2 The politician's pyrrhic victory cost him the support of his constituents.

C1 The company's aggressive expansion strategy turned out to be a pyrrhic success.

C2 The military leader's pyrrhic triumph led to the downfall of his empire.

adjective relating to a victory that comes at such a great cost that it is ultimately a defeat

Example Sentences

A1 The team celebrated their pyrrhic victory, not realizing the cost of their success.

A2 The company's decision to cut costs resulted in a pyrrhic victory, as they lost many valuable employees in the process.

B1 The politician's pyrrhic victory in passing the controversial bill led to widespread backlash from the public.

B2 The general's pyrrhic victory in the battle left his army weakened and vulnerable to further attacks.

C1 The CEO's pyrrhic victory in the hostile takeover ultimately led to the downfall of the company.

C2 The scientist's pyrrhic victory in creating a new form of energy had unforeseen consequences that threatened the stability of the planet.

Examples of pyrrhic in a Sentence

formal The general's victory was pyrrhic, as it came at the cost of most of his army.

informal Winning that argument was a pyrrhic victory - now nobody wants to talk to me.

slang Getting the promotion turned out to be a pyrrhic win, since the workload is unbearable.

figurative His success in business was pyrrhic, as it left him with no time for his family.

Grammatical Forms of pyrrhic

past tense

pyrrhic'd

plural

pyrrhics

comparative

more pyrrhic

superlative

most pyrrhic

present tense

pyrrhics

future tense

will pyrrhic

perfect tense

have pyrrhic'd

continuous tense

is pyrrhicking

singular

pyrrhic

positive degree

pyrrhic

infinitive

to pyrrhic

gerund

pyrrhicking

participle

pyrrhic'd

Origin and Evolution of pyrrhic

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Greek
Story behind the word: The word 'pyrrhic' originates from the ancient Greek term 'pyrrichios', which referred to a type of war dance performed by the ancient Greeks in honor of the god Apollo.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'pyrrhic' evolved to also refer to a type of metrical foot in poetry, characterized by two short syllables. Additionally, it came to be used metaphorically to describe a victory that comes at a great cost or sacrifice.