retrench

Synonym Chooser

How is the word retrench different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of retrench are abbreviate, abridge, curtail, and shorten. While all these words mean "to reduce in extent," retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

When is abbreviate a more appropriate choice than retrench?

While in some cases nearly identical to retrench, abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

When is it sensible to use abridge instead of retrench?

The words abridge and retrench can be used in similar contexts, but abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

When can curtail be used instead of retrench?

In some situations, the words curtail and retrench are roughly equivalent. However, curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

When could shorten be used to replace retrench?

The words shorten and retrench are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of retrench Underlying details in the report also show that consumers and businesses haven’t quite retrenched in the face of persistent uncertainty about the economy, which is helping propel economic growth. Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 30 July 2025 Alongside Bana there’s Rosemary DeWitt as Turner’s ex-wife Jill, Lily Santiago’s Naya Vasquez who left the LAPD to retrench with her 4-year-old son in the great outdoors, and Sam Neill as Yosemite’s chief park ranger. Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025 France’s wine sector is currently experiencing a deep crisis, with many businesses forced to consolidate or retrench. Felipe Schrieberg, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025 Chaos could well be the price for a failure to retrench. Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for retrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrench
Verb
  • His team accused Whatley of distorting the facts to cover for his support of federal policies that reduced funding for local police.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Valentino has been streamlining its wholesale channel, reduced by about 20 percent in 2024, a strategy that continued in 2025 and that is expected to impact its year-end performance.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Others have cut bills by a factor of five.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Jobless claims hit their highest level since 2021 last week, adding to recent labor market revisions that have fueled confidence the Fed will cut rates in September.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While the rest of Burning Man celebrated, Kruglov lay prostrate on the ground at a faraway campsite in a comparatively desolate section of Black Rock City, his throat slashed, as a puddle of blood congealed around his lifeless body.
    Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The sharp drop in mortgage rates owes in part to government data showing a significant decline in hiring, which has heightened expectations that the Federal Reserve will slash interest rates and in turn put downward pressure on borrowing costs, some analysts told ABC News.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Novo shares climbed over 4% in morning trade, paring earlier losses.
    Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • That's why many urban cyclists pare such drivetrains down.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In recent years, the gaming industry has been defined by mass layoffs, shrinking budgets and studios scrambling to replicate blockbuster success with Hollywood-sized spending.
    Keller Gordon, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
  • With record numbers of Chinese retiring, the country faces mounting strain on its pension system and social safety nets, alongside a shrinking workforce to support them.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Then, a 2009 law curtailed credit-card access for people under 21.
    Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
  • At Phoenix Children's, Meyer said, the loss of extra funding would curtail expansions of care for children and growth of the hospital's workforce.
    Phil Galewitz, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Her figures are truncated and pushed over the edges of the frame, faces often obscured or composited.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Is the president using his emergency powers to truncate a financial crisis?
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • They’re formulated with hydrating ingredients designed to decrease puffiness and help with dark circles.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Darrow says the orchard’s acreage has decreased by half, mirroring the state’s overall decline since 2000.
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Retrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrench. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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