as in retrenchment
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in reducing
formal
to change the way things are done in order to spend less money
When the economy slowed, the company was forced to retrench.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 retrenching
Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
This retreat from church mirrors a larger retrenching.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
General manager Pat Verbeek is keeping things tight to the vest but the Ducks, after years of retrenching into a painful rebuild and totally reshaping the club, are now in a position to add talent at the deadline instead of selling.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
But what if the mission changes, and the organization turns from all-out going for it to a form of retrenching?
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
This is not the strategy of a retrenching United States.
—Rebeccah Heinrichs, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
The store is seeking to enter a new phase of growth by retrenching its retail leadership in France while accelerating its global ambitions across both flagship locations and digital platforms.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
The museum did some retrenching earlier this year, eliminating some staff positions and long-vacant roles, citing sharply rising operational costs in the face of slower growth in revenue and philanthropic support.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
So far from a reset, Noem’s removal is a retrenching — an effort to remove our focus from the deeply troubling link between immigration policy and the threat to democracy while actually grinding forward on that dark path.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
This retreat from church mirrors a larger retrenching.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
Networks and streamers, which have spent the past few years retrenching, may be regaining their appetite for risk.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
General manager Pat Verbeek is keeping things tight to the vest but the Ducks, after years of retrenching into a painful rebuild and totally reshaping the club, are now in a position to add talent at the deadline instead of selling.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
But what if the mission changes, and the organization turns from all-out going for it to a form of retrenching?
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
This is not the strategy of a retrenching United States.
—Rebeccah Heinrichs, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
The store is seeking to enter a new phase of growth by retrenching its retail leadership in France while accelerating its global ambitions across both flagship locations and digital platforms.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
The museum did some retrenching earlier this year, eliminating some staff positions and long-vacant roles, citing sharply rising operational costs in the face of slower growth in revenue and philanthropic support.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrenching
Noun
-
The York Avenue building itself reflects Sotheby’s long cycle of expansion and retrenchment.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
And Hollywood is still going through a painful retrenchment.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The station initially bridged the sudden budget gap last year by reaching out to donors directly and reducing costs to bring down overhead.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Always dry thoroughly, heat on the stovetop until completely dry, and apply a thin layer of oil or shortening.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This movement engages the quad concentrically, which means the muscles contract while shortening, Mann said.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
She has been arrested for slashing her sister’s neck with a box cutter and biting the breast of a security guard outside a nightclub.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
-
While Sunbelt sellers are slashing prices to clear inventory, Ohio sellers are watching their equity grow.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With guidance from a composites specialist contracting for SpaceX, Hazan was able to precisely control resin ratios and structural integrity.—
Eric Hendrikx,
Robb Report,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Roza also said the growth in district contracting over the past several years cannot be separated from the flood of temporary federal relief money schools received during the pandemic.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is an unsustainable path if the state hopes to avoid cutting health, education and other priorities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Another option is to remove some of the pups, by cutting under the plants, and gathering the leaves with roots.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Limon’s research, his brother said, focuses on using generative AI to study Florida’s shrinking wetlands.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Perhaps most jarringly, people harmed by government neglect or corporate abuse often backed movements aimed at shrinking the government even further.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The opposite approach—paring things down to the bare minimum—often comes at the cost of comfort and routine.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The designer notes that the process of paring things back was a welcome challenge.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrenching. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
