trenchant

adjective

tren·​chant ˈtren-chənt How to pronounce trenchant (audio)
1
: keen, sharp
2
: vigorously effective and articulate
a trenchant analysis
also : caustic
trenchant remarks
3
a
: sharply perceptive : penetrating
a trenchant view of current conditions
b
: clear-cut, distinct
the trenchant divisions between right and wrongEdith Wharton
trenchantly adverb

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

a writer with a trenchant wit even the most trenchant sword could not sever the bonds of loyalty between them
Recent Examples on the Web The film is a fervent and trenchant work of political psychology, living history, investigative journalism, and anguished confession. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 Over the last year, Reneé Rapp quickly became one of the internet’s favorite celebrities thanks to her phenomenal singing voice and her trenchant humor. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 28 Feb. 2024 But the historian Jeremy Adelman offers a trenchant warning: Trump may have failed, but deep forces are at work in the world that will prevent the United States from treating the disruption of his presidency as a mere aberration. Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 John Carpenter's trenchant social commentary tells the story of a drifter (Roddy Piper) who realizes upon wearing special sunglasses that many of his fellow citizens are actually aliens. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2023 In attempting to make the story more trenchant, Cracknell has effectively softened it. Vulture, 4 Jan. 2024 The politics of Lewis’ novel are still trenchant despite the homogeneity of the society that was being satirized. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2023 When Isabel returns to Berlin to further her research into the Nazi era, her trenchant political discussions with friends and colleagues are intertwined with her visits to the city’s actual Holocaust memorial and museum. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2023 Jagger also had a typically trenchant take on U.S. politics. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Oct. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English trenchaunt, from Anglo-French, present participle of trencher

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trenchant was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near trenchant

Cite this Entry

“Trenchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trenchant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

trenchant

adjective
tren·​chant ˈtren-chənt How to pronounce trenchant (audio)
1
: having a sharp edge or point : cutting
2
: sharply perceptive : penetrating
a trenchant view of the situation
3
: forceful and effective in expressing ideas
a trenchant analysis
trenchantly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on trenchant

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