"A pyrrhic victory" is an idiom that describes a victory won at such a devastating cost to the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. The success is so damaging that it negates any real benefit. It's not just a hard-fought victory; it's one where the price paid renders the win almost pointless.
The expression originates from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who defeated the Romans at the Battle of Asculum in 279 BC, but suffered crippling losses. Plutarch reports that Pyrrhus responded to congratulations with, "One more such victory will undo me completely."
The register of "a pyrrhic victory" is neutral to formal. It is suitable for academic writing, news reports, and general conversation.
"Pyrrhic victory" functions as a noun phrase, typically used with the indefinite article ("a pyrrhic victory") or as an adjective preceding the noun it modifies ("a pyrrhic victory for..."). It can be modified by adverbs (e.g., "a truly pyrrhic victory") and used in questions (e.g., "Was it a pyrrhic victory?").
It sounds unnatural to use it in a strictly literal sense (e.g., referring to a victory where someone literally named Pyrrhus won). Overusing the phrase can also sound pretentious. Avoid using it simply to mean "a difficult victory"; the cost must be crippling.
These examples are sourced from a pyrrhic victory on Ludwig.guru.
"It's a Pyrrhic victory." — The New Yorker
"It was a Pyrrhic victory." — The New York Times
"Talk about a Pyrrhic victory." — The New York Times
"It was a pyrrhic victory for Disney." — Harvard Business Review
"This was a pyrrhic victory for Russia." — The Economist
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/a+pyrrhic+victory
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| hollow victory | Emphasizes the lack of satisfaction or true value in the win. |
| bitter victory | Highlights the negative emotions associated with the win, like regret or sadness. |
| empty triumph | Suggests the victory lacks substance or lasting significance. |
| self-defeating victory | Directly implies that the victory ultimately harms the victor. |
| expensive win | Focuses on the high cost incurred to achieve the victory. |
| fool's errand | While not a direct synonym, it can describe a situation where the pursuit of a victory leads to a pointless or detrimental outcome. |
| win the battle, lose the war | Emphasizes short-term gain at the expense of long-term success. |
Learners often misunderstand the degree of loss involved, thinking it simply refers to a difficult victory, rather than one that is almost self-defeating in its consequences.
| Expression | Idiomatic Meaning | Register | Avoid In |
|---|---|---|---|
| a pyrrhic victory | A victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is essentially equivalent to a defeat. | Neutral to Formal | Very informal settings, situations where the cost isn't crippling. |
"A pyrrhic victory" is almost always used figuratively to describe a situation where the cost of winning outweighs the benefits. While theoretically you could use it literally if discussing an actual victory won by King Pyrrhus, in modern usage it's an idiom with a specific figurative meaning.
Both phrases describe unsatisfying wins, but "a pyrrhic victory" emphasizes the high cost and potential long-term damage to the victor, even to the point of being self-defeating. A "hollow victory," on the other hand, focuses more on the lack of genuine satisfaction or meaning derived from the win itself, regardless of the costs.
Yes, that's a common misunderstanding. While a pyrrhic victory is certainly difficult, the key element is the disproportionate cost. It's not just about the effort required to win; it's about the long-term negative consequences that make the victory almost worthless or even detrimental to the winner.
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