retrenchment
Americannoun
-
the act of retrenching; a cutting down or off, as by the reduction of expenses.
-
Fortification. an interior work that cuts off a part of a fortification from the rest, and to which a garrison may retreat.
Other Word Forms
- nonretrenchment noun
Etymology
Origin of retrenchment
From the French word retrenchement, dating back to 1590–1600. See retrench, -ment
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
"We fear it shall be passed down to workers through restructuring, short‑time work and possible retrenchment," Justice Chinhema, secretary of the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union, said.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
But given trade tensions and America’s retrenchment from the world, Doshi said, “that seems very tenuous.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 15, 2025
With the retrenchment of pandemic-era work-from-home arrangements, remote work is harder to find and more desirable than ever.
From Slate • Aug. 4, 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.