Idiom · C2 · Formal · Success and failure
a Pyrrhic victory
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Meaning
A win that costs so much that it feels like a loss.
Examples
- The company won the lawsuit, but the legal fees made it a Pyrrhic victory.
- For the team, the title was a Pyrrhic victory, because three key players were injured.
- Winning the argument at the price of their friendship was a Pyrrhic victory.
How to use it
Write it with a capital P, because it comes from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who won battles but lost too many soldiers. It is formal and common in journalism and essays. It is pronounced PIR-ik.
Common mistake
Not: It was a Pyrrhic defeat.
Say: It was a Pyrrhic victory. (The idiom is always about winning.)
Last updated 20 October 2026