English Meaning & Definitions
Vigorous or incisive in expression or style; sharply perceptive or keen.
- “The political commentator delivered a trenchant critique of the administration's new economic policy.”
- “Her trenchant analysis cut through the confusion and exposed the flaws in the argument.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “trenchant”.
Derived from the Old French present participle of 'trenchier' (meaning to cut), which comes from Vulgar Latin *trēnsāre. Ultimately related to the English word 'tierce' and related to the root seen in 'intrench' and 'retrench'. Its original physical sense of 'cutting' or 'sharp' evolved metaphorically into sharp-witted and incisive discourse.
Think of someone cutting ('trench') right to the point with sharp words.
Frequently Asked Questions About “trenchant”
1. What is the meaning of “trenchant” in English?
In English, trenchant (adjective) is defined as: “Vigorous or incisive in expression or style; sharply perceptive or keen.”.
2. How do you use “trenchant” in a sentence?
“The political commentator delivered a trenchant critique of the administration's new economic policy.”
3. What are English synonyms of “trenchant”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “trenchant”?
Derived from the Old French present participle of 'trenchier' (meaning to cut), which comes from Vulgar Latin *trēnsāre. Ultimately related to the English word 'tierce' and related to the root seen in 'intrench' and 'retrench'. Its original physical sense of 'cutting' or 'sharp' evolved metaphorically into sharp-witted and incisive discourse.
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
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