pyrrhic

(Of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor.

• (no common derivatives)

• Pyrrhic victory
• proved Pyrrhic
• ultimately Pyrrhic
• a Pyrrhic triumph

1. 1.The lawsuit was a Pyrrhic victory — they won the case but spent more on lawyers than they recovered. (victory not worth the cost)
2. 2.Winning the battle but losing half your army is the definition of a Pyrrhic victory. (devastating win)

• hollow/ˈhɒləʊ/— empty, meaningless
• costly/ˈkɒstli/— involving great loss
• ruinous/ˈruːɪnəs/— devastating

from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who defeated the Romans at Asculum in 279 BC but suffered devastating losses, reportedly saying "One more such victory and we are undone"