adjective

pyrrhic

PIRR-ik

Pyrrhic (adjective) means describing a victory won at such a heavy cost that it is barely worth having, and may leave the winner weaker than before. Example: “Winning the case was a pyrrhic victory: the legal fees swallowed the damages.”

adjective

Describing a victory won at such a heavy cost that it is barely worth having, and may leave the winner weaker than before.

"Winning the case was a pyrrhic victory: the legal fees swallowed the damages."

"The strike ended in a pyrrhic win for the union, with half the workforce already laid off."

noun

technical In classical verse, a metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables.

"The line ends on a pyrrhic followed by a spondee."

How to use pyrrhic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA win that costs you so much it was not worth it.

When to use it

Formal and literary; almost always in the phrase "pyrrhic victory".

Memory tip

Note the spelling: p-y-r-r-h-i-c, with two r's and an h.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

hollow victory Cadmean victory phyrric (misspelling)

Common pairings

pyrrhic victory pyrrhic win at best pyrrhic

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Winning the case was a _____ victory: the legal fees swallowed the damages.

Etymology

The victory sense is from Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, whose armies beat the Romans at Heraclea and Asculum in the 3rd century BC at losses so severe the wins ruined him. The metrical foot is a separate word, from Greek pyrrhiche, an ancient war dance, and has no connection to Pyrrhus.

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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hollow costly self-defeating hard-won

Related words

valley expensive hole empty earned valuable cave pit

Frequently asked questions

What is a pyrrhic victory?

It is a win whose cost is so high that it does the winner more harm than good — the battle is taken but the army is destroyed. The phrase is used far beyond warfare, for lawsuits, elections, arguments and business deals.

Should "pyrrhic" be capitalised?

Both forms appear, because the word comes from a personal name. Modern style guides generally prefer lower-case "pyrrhic victory", the way "quixotic" is lower case.

How do you pronounce pyrrhic?

PIRR-ik, rhyming roughly with "lyric". The double r is not rolled and the h is silent.

What is the meaning of pyrrhic?

"pyrrhic" (adjective) means describing a victory won at such a heavy cost that it is barely worth having, and may leave the winner weaker than before.

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