retrenchment

noun

re·​trench·​ment ri-ˈtrench-mənt How to pronounce retrenchment (audio)
: reduction, curtailment
specifically : a cutting of expenses

Examples of retrenchment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The pullback at those companies has coincided with a broader industry retrenchment in the face of economic headwinds. Brian Fung, CNN, 22 June 2023 But with the tech industry in retrenchment mode, and tech workers getting laid off by the thousands, this year’s intern season is kicking off with a pall hanging over it. Andrea Guzman, Fortune, 13 May 2023 None of that is likely, which is why the most probable result of U.S. retrenchment would be not an immaculate transition to peaceful Chinese hegemony but violent chaos. Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023 Hollywood’s agencies went through retrenchment and conducted notable layoffs or furloughs during the COVID-19 shutdowns in the middle of 2020, also at a time of a widespread production halt. Erik Hayden, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Aug. 2023 The cuts come amid a major retrenchment for the sector, which this year has had the highest number of year-to-date layoffs since the 2001 dotcom bubble burst. Rachel Shin, Fortune, 2 June 2023 The closure of Buzzfeed News comes amid a major retrenchment of once boisterous digital media upstarts, including Vice News and Vox Media. Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2023 In light of the court’s action, defenders of affirmative action expect a retrenchment of corporate DEI programs but not their end. Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2023 If anything, the poor battlefield performance of Russian forces in Ukraine suggests that U.S. retrenchment might be more achievable than previously thought. Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retrenchment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retrenchment was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near retrenchment

Cite this Entry

“Retrenchment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrenchment. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on retrenchment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!