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
There’s a buddy comedy element to Godard’s at times tempestuous relationship with his producer that makes for some of this film’s most trenchant inquiries into the filmmaking mindset.
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Reassembling the excellent cast from the low-profile 2023 premiere in Los Angeles, Mamet reels us in with some of his most trenchant writing in years.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
Through Shirley’s eyes, Perry reframes the collection, weaving a tale that is both tender and trenchant.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Whereas Videodrome could once reductively be described as a cautionary tale about the corrosive influence of television, its anxieties have only grown more trenchant.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Reassembling the excellent cast from the low-profile 2023 premiere in Los Angeles, Mamet reels us in with some of his most trenchant writing in years.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
Through Shirley’s eyes, Perry reframes the collection, weaving a tale that is both tender and trenchant.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Whereas Videodrome could once reductively be described as a cautionary tale about the corrosive influence of television, its anxieties have only grown more trenchant.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trenchant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trenchant
sharp
Adjective
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The Republican president has said crime in the city was at emergency levels that only such federal intervention could fix — even as District of Columbia leaders pointed to statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low after a sharp rise two years ago.—
Lindsay Whitehurst,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
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For, in a market where everyone’s shouting, the sharpest ideas, delivered clearly, consistently and credibly, are what cut through.—
Henry McIntosh,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trenchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trenchant. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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