as in to reduce
formal
to change the way things are done in order to spend less money
When the economy slowed, the company was forced to retrench.
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Recent Examples of retrench
There’s a growing sense both abroad and at home that the United States is retrenching.
—
Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2016
Wildflower opened its doors last fall with the industry emerging from the long tail of Hollywood strikes and shaken by a slowdown in television production as media companies retrenched.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 June 2025
But the company has since retrenched, recognizing the need to focus on creating high-quality originals that meet Disney’s once lofty standards.
—Meg James, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 June 2025
Wolff said Trump is retrenching to the Western Hemisphere but may face push-back from China, particularly in Latin America.
—John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrench
Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2016
Wildflower opened its doors last fall with the industry emerging from the long tail of Hollywood strikes and shaken by a slowdown in television production as media companies retrenched.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 June 2025
But the company has since retrenched, recognizing the need to focus on creating high-quality originals that meet Disney’s once lofty standards.
—Meg James, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 June 2025
Wolff said Trump is retrenching to the Western Hemisphere but may face push-back from China, particularly in Latin America.
—John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrench
Verb
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To reduce background noise when making phone calls or joining in with a video meeting, Headphone (1) has a 4-microphone ENC system that’s backed up by AI.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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As part of its strategy to reduce cancer rates, the European Commission aims to reduce tobacco use to less than 5% of the EU population by 2040.—
Lisa Klaassen,
CNN Money,
1 July 2025
Verb
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The prospect of trying to cut open a stubborn 5-4-1 block in the Orlando heat could have become torturous quite quickly.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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The latest setback was the Senate parliamentarian striking down several provisions of the bill that were designed to cut spending.—
Haisten Willis,
The Washington Examiner,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Trump also suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE — the cost-cutting division unpopular among Americans that Musk led before exiting the administration in late May — might consider slashing incentives that Musk’s companies receive from the U.S. government.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
1 July 2025
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Norms are being shattered, aid budgets for the poorest and most vulnerable are being slashed, and for the first time in a generation, extreme poverty has been on the rise.—
Michael Sheldrick,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Sometimes a collection even starts quite like that, and then gets pared down.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
1 July 2025
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Consumers also pared their spending last month, marking their first reduction since January, while incomes also dropped, the Commerce Department said on Friday.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Amazon and other tech companies have also been shrinking their workforces through rolling layoffs over the past several years.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
1 July 2025
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This time limit shrinks to 1 hour if the mercury rises to 90°F or higher, according to the USDA.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2025
Verb
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China controls 90% of the world’s most powerful rare-earth magnets, and Ford Motor recently had to curtail some production due to a magnet shortage.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
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Privatization would likely narrow the reach of the U.S.P.S., to say nothing of curtailing its affordability, especially for rural customers like those Grant served in Appalachia.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
Verb
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The proportions on the jacket are also strange (too truncated at the bottom).—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
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Originally told in two parts, the Broadway version was truncated after the pandemic and retooled into a single, three and half hour show.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
5 June 2025
Verb
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The top three contributors to hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2025
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The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrench. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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