trenchant
adjective
Did you know?
There’s much to know about the word trenchant, but we’ll cut to the chase. The word trenchant comes from the Anglo-French verb trencher, meaning “to cut.” Hence, a trenchant sword is one with a keen edge. Nowadays, trenchant mostly describes things that don’t cut deep literally, but that are still felt: a trenchant remark is one that cuts close to the bone, and a trenchant observation is one that cuts to the heart of the matter. In addition to meaning “caustic” and “sharply perceptive,” trenchant also carries a sense meaning “very strong, clear, and effective” that may be used, for instance, to describe a persuasive essay written with intellectual rigor. If you find yourself forgetting these “edgy” definitions, you might dig up a familiar relative of trenchant: the noun trench, which refers to a long cut or ditch in the ground.
Examples of trenchant in a Sentence
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Blending trenchant social commentary with genuine thrills, the film explores terror on both a surface and subconscious level as Chris tries to escape his dreadful fate — one that is arguably worse than death.
—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Last week, an article in Foreign Affairs drew a trenchant parallel with the Vietnam War.
—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
27 May 2026
Just as in their debut, the Esiris luxuriate in scenes of people at work and observations of an increasingly cosmopolitan locale, subtly revealing trenchant class differences.
—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
Cite this Entry
“Trenchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trenchant. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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trenchant
adjective
