suffer attrition

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "suffer attrition" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing loss, reduction, or decrease, particularly in relation to personnel, resources, or other entities over time. Example: "The company began to suffer attrition as employees left for better opportunities, impacting overall productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Yet it will almost certainly ebb again, as policymakers and publics react, security services adapt and the militants suffer attrition of every sort.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Moreover, as Colonel Qaddafi's forces have suffered attrition, they have seemed to rely more on land mines to defend their positions, a menace that could drive up rebel losses when they move forward.

The New York Times

When he learned that Bob Pender, a former Drury Lane clown, had a troupe of young knockabout comedians that suffered attrition each time a boy came of military age, he wrote, in the guise of his father, asking that Archibald be taken for training.

The New Yorker

Despite a changing balance of the processes of fragmentation and surface abrasion due to the effect of stress, the data for each material was unified whatever size cut was selected to represent material that had suffered attrition.

Chemical Engineering Science

The greatest risk of bias related to incomplete data with increasing attrition across studies with duration of follow-up, 36% suffered attrition greater than 20% beyond 12 months, all of these studies included an intention-to-treat analysis.

BMJ Open

Identical socks are hard to find, so buy 20 or more pairs at once and replace them all at once if identical ones are not available to replace those that have suffered attrition.

WikiHow

This year, too, Harlan Estate made the jump from $150 to $200 a bottle -- and didn't suffer any attrition.

The New York Times - Magazine

This approach has the advantage from the government point of view of avoiding house-to-house fighting in which their best troops would suffer heavy attrition.

Independent

First, African-American students suffer high attrition rates.

SEP

So, they were within the "safe period" in which the test claims that their language proficiency would not suffer from attrition (Penn State University, 2017).

Language Testing in Asia

Here the autoreactive cells would also suffer passive attrition and could be suppressed.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing gradual loss in a specific context, use "suffer attrition" to emphasize the ongoing and often inevitable nature of the decline. For example, "The project suffered attrition due to budget cuts and personnel changes."

Common error

Avoid using "suffer attrition" to describe positive developments or situations where growth or increase is occurring. This phrase inherently conveys a negative connotation of loss or decline.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "suffer attrition" functions as a verb phrase where "suffer" acts as a transitive verb, and "attrition" is the noun that receives the action. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable grammar.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "suffer attrition" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a gradual loss or reduction. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It appears frequently in science, news, and wiki contexts. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended negative connotation and consider alternatives like "experience a decline" or "undergo depletion" for nuanced expressions. Avoid misusing it in positive contexts. The high expert rating reflects its consistent use and source authority, as evidenced by reputable sources such as The New York Times and The Economist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

experience a decline

Replaces "suffer attrition" with a broader term indicating a negative change.

undergo depletion

Focuses on the reduction aspect, similar to attrition.

face a reduction

Highlights the confrontation with a decrease.

endure a loss

Emphasizes the negative impact of the reduction.

sustain a decrease

Indicates a measurable decline similar to attrition.

encounter erosion

Emphasizes the gradual wearing away, similar to attrition.

bear the brunt of wastage

Highlights the consequences and responsibility of the loss.

be subjected to diminishment

Focuses on the action of being made smaller.

meet with devaluation

Expresses the loss of value in the long term.

see a fall

Simplifies the phrase to a basic description of decline.

FAQs

How can I use "suffer attrition" in a sentence?

"Suffer attrition" is used to describe a gradual loss or reduction. For example, "The company began to "suffer attrition" as employees left for better opportunities, impacting overall productivity."

What are some alternatives to saying "suffer attrition"?

You can use alternatives like "experience a decline", "undergo depletion", or "face a reduction" depending on the specific context. Each alternative emphasizes a slightly different aspect of loss or reduction.

Is it grammatically correct to say "suffer attrition"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The verb "suffer" is appropriately paired with the noun "attrition" to indicate experiencing a loss or reduction.

In what contexts is "suffer attrition" most commonly used?

"Suffer attrition" is frequently used in contexts discussing military conflicts, business operations, scientific studies, and academic programs to describe the gradual loss of personnel, resources, or participants.