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

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The film spans from early spring to summer 2022, capturing the routine, waiting, and sudden violence of life in the trenches. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026 There aren't enough tsunami-monitoring sensors near the trenches to get a clear look. Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2026 On and Off the Avenue Spring in the trenches. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026 No matter who was under center for them, Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens tended to win games in the trenches and on defense. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the trenches

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“The trenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20trenches. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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