as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
even the most trenchant sword could not sever the bonds of loyalty between them
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Recent Examples of trenchant
Some of his most trenchant analysis concerns the interaction of the committees and the African National Congress, the only political party that appears to have a significant political presence in the settlements.
—
Trevor Ngwane, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
The book’s inferences about the present state of A.I. are less controversial and more trenchant.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
Well known for his thoughtful fictional treatments of British history, Boyd combines measured twists with a trenchant reconsideration of the legacy of Cold War-era interventionism.
—The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
The film’s most trenchant scenes involve Gere in states of repose or regret or nostalgia, especially when psychically disarrayed in a chair with a camera facing toward him, wondering what, for example, desire smells like.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
Trevor Ngwane, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
The book’s inferences about the present state of A.I. are less controversial and more trenchant.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
Well known for his thoughtful fictional treatments of British history, Boyd combines measured twists with a trenchant reconsideration of the legacy of Cold War-era interventionism.
—The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
The film’s most trenchant scenes involve Gere in states of repose or regret or nostalgia, especially when psychically disarrayed in a chair with a camera facing toward him, wondering what, for example, desire smells like.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trenchant
Adjective
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The aviation industry expects the exemption to help companies keep costs down during a sharp pullback in travel spending by consumers worried about slower economic growth and higher inflation.—
Rajesh Kumar Singh,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Once seen as a wild card with surprising appeal among disillusioned young voters, President Donald Trump is now facing a sharp decline in support from Generation Z, according to new polling.—
Mark Weinstein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trenchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trenchant. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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