The word for today is…
attrition (noun):
1: sorrow for one’s sins that arises from a motive other than that of the love of God
2 : the act of rubbing together : the act of wearing or grinding down by friction
3 : the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack – a war of attrition
4 : a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : The earliest meaning of the English attrition related to spiritual repentance was borrowed from the figurative meaning of the medieval Latin etymon attritio: “hardship, tribulation.” This figurative meaning stemmed from the earlier uses of attritio that refer to bruising or wearing away by rubbing—two processes that, when applied to the body, can feel like tribulation. One obsolete and early use of the English attrition referred to the breaking or crushing of tissue, and was used in medical contexts.
The newer senses of attrition are little more than a century old. The common phrase war of attrition refers to a sustained effort to steadily wear down the defenses of an opponent, with the result that they are rendered weaker and less effective. From this sense comes the still-later meaning that refers to a reduction in numbers by a gradual and natural “wearing down” of an organization’s ranks through death, retirement, or resignation.
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