retrenchment

[ri-trench-muhnt]

noun

1. the act of retrenching; a cutting down or off, as by the reduction of expenses.

2. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of retrenchment¹

From the French word retrenchement, dating back to 1590–1600. See retrench, -ment

Example Sentences

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.

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But given trade tensions and America’s retrenchment from the world, Doshi said, “that seems very tenuous.”

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The Twitter layoffs was among the earliest in a series of retrenchments among tech firms to cut costs.

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The move furthers Allen’s retrenchment after a $1-billion buying spree in recent years.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“They’re not wrong to be afraid. I think they’re wrong to be as afraid as they are because it’s a retrenchment, and it’s a retrenchment following a gigantic expansion.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absence 
• dearth 
• inadequacy 
• loss 
• paucity 
• poverty 
• reduction 
• scarcity 
• shortage 
• shortcoming 
• shortfall