adjective
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keen or incisive
trenchant criticism
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vigorous and effective
a trenchant foreign policy
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distinctly defined
a trenchant outline
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archaic sharp
a trenchant sword
Other Word Forms
- trenchancy noun
- trenchantly adverb
Etymology
Origin of trenchant
1275–1325; Middle English tranchaunt < Anglo-French; Old French trenchant, present participle of trenchier to cut. See trench, -ant
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.
Anchored by Huertas’ blazing performance, Pierre Saint-Martin’s trenchant debut plays both as a portrait of a person stuck in a state of perpetual grieving and an indictment of a troubled country.
From Los Angeles Times
When Mr. Hart discusses commanders and strategy his views are typically trenchant and insightful.
But it’s consistently appealing, underpinned by fluent Broadway pop-rock melodies that, importantly, never overwhelm the lyrics, which are trenchant and clever.
Jude is especially trenchant about how these realities are sold to us, and what’s inherently funny and tragic about that.
From Los Angeles Times
Perhaps this nihilism will prove too trenchant and reactive for some viewers.
From Salon
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.
