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
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.
The move is a retrenchment from the social video company’s expansion into Nashville in 2024 and comes as many tech companies are reevaluating their workforce amid the growth of artificial intelligence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The results arrived as the film industry looks for signs of a rebound, amid concerns about the broader shift to streaming and an ongoing retrenchment in Hollywood following strikes and the pandemic.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Honda Motor 7267 3.11%increase; up pointing triangle will end production this year of the lone electric vehicle it sells in the U.S., the latest retrenchment for battery-powered cars in the American market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
That’s a solid $10 billion improvement from late January and suggests companies have been able to improve margins and increase efficiencies despite soaring oil and energy prices and a retrenchment in consumer sentiment.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
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.
