the trenches
plural noun
: a place or situation in which people do very difficult work
These people are working every day down in the trenches to improve the lives of refugees.
Examples of the trenches in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the return of Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt should help next season, there’s still a major need for a massive, run-stuffing nose tackle in the trenches.
—
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Establishing themselves in the trenches is the priority.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Russia’s second front The most dangerous front in Europe this year will shift from the trenches in Donetsk to the hybrid war between Russia and NATO as Vladimir Putin seeks to erode European support for Ukraine before economic strain impairs his ability to prosecute the hot war.
—Ian Bremmer, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The offense was scoring points, but struggled to string together drives, win in the trenches and get the ball to playmakers like Jameson Williams and David Montgomery.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
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Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Establishing themselves in the trenches is the priority.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Russia’s second front The most dangerous front in Europe this year will shift from the trenches in Donetsk to the hybrid war between Russia and NATO as Vladimir Putin seeks to erode European support for Ukraine before economic strain impairs his ability to prosecute the hot war.
—Ian Bremmer, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The offense was scoring points, but struggled to string together drives, win in the trenches and get the ball to playmakers like Jameson Williams and David Montgomery.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the trenches
Cite this Entry
“The trenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20trenches. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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