A Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a win whose cost is so great that it nearly amounts to defeat. The phrase comes from the story of King Pyrrhus, whose victories over the Romans left his own army dangerously weakened.
Where it comes from
The costly victories of Pyrrhus
The story appears in Plutarch’s account of Pyrrhus in Parallel Lives. Pyrrhus defeats Roman armies, but cannot easily replace the soldiers and commanders he loses.
After the battle of Asculum, Pyrrhus responds to congratulations by explaining that another victory like this would ruin him. The Romans can draw on fresh troops more readily than he can.
In Parallel Lives by Plutarch
What it means now
Today the phrase can describe a costly success in politics, business, sport, or a personal dispute. The important point is that winning damages the winner’s position.
In Frankenstein, Victor succeeds in bringing his creature to life, but recoils from the result. His scientific achievement begins a chain of suffering that destroys much of what he values.
In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
How to use A Pyrrhic victory
- Identify what was actually won.
- Explain what the winner lost in gaining it.
- Reserve the phrase for costs that seriously undermine the success.
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How do you pronounce Pyrrhic?
Pyrrhic is usually pronounced PIRR-ik, with the stress on the first syllable. It comes from the name Pyrrhus, the king whose costly battles against Rome gave the phrase its meaning.
Is a Pyrrhic victory the same as a defeat?
A Pyrrhic victory is still a victory, but its cost makes the result feel close to defeat. A team might win a match yet lose so many key players to injury that its chances in the rest of the competition collapse.
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