trench

1 of 2

noun

ˈtrench 

1

a

: a long cut in the ground : ditch

especially : one used for military defense often with the excavated dirt thrown up in front

b

trenches plural : a place, position, or level at which an activity is carried on in a manner likened to trench warfare

—often used in the phrase in the trenches

activists working in the trenches

2

: a long, narrow, and usually steep-sided depression in the ocean floor compare trough

3

: trench coat

trench

2 of 2

verb

trenched; trenching; trenches

transitive verb

1

: to make a cut in : carve

2

a

: to protect with or as if with a trench

b

: to cut a trench in : ditch

intransitive verb

1

a

: entrench, encroach

trenching on other domains which were more vital

—Sir Winston Churchill

b

: to come close : verge

2

: to dig a trench

Synonyms

Noun

• dike
• ditch
• fosse
• foss
• gutter
• sheugh [chiefly Scottish]
• trough

Verb

• border (on)
• touch (on)
• verge (on)

Examples of trench in a Sentence

Noun

dug a trench and filled it with water in an attempt to keep the forest fire off her property

Verb

that response trenches on outright rudeness

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the photo, there's a line around the moon's equator that resembles the equatorial trench around the Death Star. —Ailsa Harvey, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2025

Preliminary estimates found that filling in the interstate trench would cost $2.4 billion to $3.2 billion, compared to $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion to reconfigure the freeway within its existing footprint. —Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2025

Verb

In severe winter regions, for example, delays in permitting or routing could push a project into a freeze period when trenching or boring becomes impossible. —Katherine Latham, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

This cake type was the sort fed to train and trench weary doughboys by Great War doughnut lassies (or doughnut dollies, depending) and flour, baking powder, sugar, and lard were all in good supply for the duration. —Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English trenche track cut through a wood, from Anglo-French, act of cutting, ditch, from trencher, trenchier to cut, probably from Vulgar Latin *trinicare to cut in three, from Latin trini three each — more at trine

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing trench

• slit trench
• trench coat
• trench fever
• trench foot
• trench mouth
• trench warfare

Kids Definition

trench

noun

ˈtrench

1

a

: a long narrow cut in the ground : ditch

b

: a ditch protected by a bank of earth used to shelter soldiers

2

: a long narrow steep-sided depression in the ocean floor