as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
even the most trenchant sword could not sever the bonds of loyalty between them
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Recent Examples of trenchant
The star forward opened with a prepared statement criticizing the WNBA not only for the state of its on-court officiating — a trenchant topic during this postseason — but for its lack of transparency and accountability, starting with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
—
John Shipley, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
Michèle comes across as a singular and powerful personality, with something of Akerman’s own trenchant intellect, assertive candor, and vulnerable self-revelation.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
Despite Lavrov's trenchant remarks, there may be subtle hints that Putin is ready to do a deal — and that's without knowing what has gone on behind closed doors.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
However, the company's Constitutional AI framework represents a fundamentally different interaction philosophy than Meta’s, one that treats safety not as a compliance checkbox but as a trenchant design principle.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
John Shipley, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
Michèle comes across as a singular and powerful personality, with something of Akerman’s own trenchant intellect, assertive candor, and vulnerable self-revelation.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
Despite Lavrov's trenchant remarks, there may be subtle hints that Putin is ready to do a deal — and that's without knowing what has gone on behind closed doors.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2025
However, the company's Constitutional AI framework represents a fundamentally different interaction philosophy than Meta’s, one that treats safety not as a compliance checkbox but as a trenchant design principle.
—Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trenchant
sharp
Adjective
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His positioning and reading of the game remain sharp, his footwork is clean, and his reactions are quick.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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From the 1960s through the 2000s, no one skewered a crowd with sharper affection.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trenchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trenchant. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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