Pyrrhic victory
WordNet

noun


(1)   A victory that is won by incurring terrible losses
WiktionaryText

Etymology


Eponymous of the Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus, who suffered heavy losses while defeating the Romans.

Noun



  1. A very costly victory, wherein the considerable losses outweigh the gain, so as to render the struggle not worth the cost.
    • "Tough pensions regulation designed to protect employees in final-salary occupational schemes will prove a pyrrhic victory for unions and the government, a report warned yesterday." —The Guardian, October 6, 2005
 
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