Pyrrhic
Meaning
Describing a victory that comes at such a great cost to the victor that it is equivalent to a defeat.
Origin
In the third century BCE, King Pyrrhus of Epirus, a brilliant Greek general, clashed with the emerging Roman Republic. After a brutal battle at Asculum in 279 BCE, Pyrrhus's forces technically triumphed. However, their casualties were so catastrophic—he lost a significant portion of his army and many of his most experienced commanders—that he famously declared, "Another such victory and I am undone." His 'win' had crippled his capacity to continue the war, making the victory itself a profound strategic loss, and forever linking his name with triumphs that are, in reality, ruinous defeats.
Examples
- The company's successful lawsuit turned out to be a Pyrrhic victory, as the legal fees and damage to its reputation far outweighed the monetary award.
- Despite winning the championship, the star player suffered a career-ending injury, making their triumph a truly Pyrrhic one.