retrenchment
Americannoun
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the act of retrenching; a cutting down or off, as by the reduction of expenses.
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Fortification. an interior work that cuts off a part of a fortification from the rest, and to which a garrison may retreat.
noun
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the act of reducing expenditure in order to improve financial stability
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an extra interior fortification to reinforce outer walls
Other Word Forms
- nonretrenchment noun
Etymology
Origin of retrenchment
From the French word retrenchement, dating back to 1590–1600. See retrench, -ment
Explanation
In politics or business, retrenchment is the process of saving money by cutting expenses. Retrenchment nearly always involves laying off workers. Retrenchment is basically a formal way of saying "layoffs" or "downsizing." If a company undergoes retrenchment, it's usually in a bad financial situation and must find ways to spend less money. Eliminating jobs is one common way to do this. As a political concept, retrenchment can mean cutting a variety of public expenses during economic downturns. An older meaning of the word was "pruning or lopping off," from the French retrenchement, "a cutting off."
Vocabulary lists containing retrenchment
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
India's IT services sector - the country's largest graduate employer with eight million workers - is in active retrenchment.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026
A history of solid gains in December should also provide support, particularly given the market’s notable November retrenchment.
From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025
Ms. Velez’s Patti exudes a warmth undergirded by a fierce desire to protect her son, and a pleading hope to persuade Nelson that retrenchment is the only path forward.
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 26, 2025
Allen’s move marks a significant retrenchment after spending more than $1 billion to load up on stations in small and medium-sized markets.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025
The timing was almost spooky, as the retrenchment at my father’s work continued.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
