trench warfare

American  

noun

1. combat in which each side occupies a system of protective trenches.

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trench warfare British  

noun

1. a type of warfare in which opposing armies face each other in entrenched positions

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trench warfare Cultural  

1. Warfare marked by slow wearing down of the opposing forces and piecemeal gains at heavy cost. The term applies especially to World War I.

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Etymology

Origin of trench warfare

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

His contention that bombing industrial centers would lead to a speedy victory was seen by many as a response to World War I, and the long slog of trench warfare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

The trench warfare has occasionally been interrupted by flashes of brilliance.

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2025

The plans for calling up more soldiers to fight in grim trench warfare were something nobody in Ukraine’s military or civilian leadership wanted to be associated with.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

For draft-eligible men, trench warfare is a harrowing prospect.

From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2024

Our trenches have now for some time been shot to pieces, and we have an elastic line, so that there is practically no longer any proper trench warfare.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque