cannon fodder

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The team that was set to be Eastern Conference cannon fodder is now in second place, putting the Celtics right where they’re used to being: the thick of a championship race.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

"We especially want to target the partially mobilised who not only can't fight but are thrown in as cannon fodder," says Vitalii Matviyenko, who heads up the scheme.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2022

“If they need more cannon fodder, that is what they’ll be doing,” he said.

From Washington Times • Nov. 13, 2022

The “partial mobilization” of reservists turns out to be a desperate grab for cannon fodder.

From Washington Post • Sep. 26, 2022

They are cannon fodder; mere pawns in the game of nations, moved about by one who sits in the sun and serves the devil.

From Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant by Holt, Mathew Joseph