the trenches

plural noun

: a place or situation in which people do very difficult work
These people are working every day down in the trenches to improve the lives of refugees.

Examples of the trenches in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nearly 13 months ago after a 30-17 victory over Detroit at Arrowhead Stadium, Chiefs coach Andy Reid embellished his postgame news conference with a nod to the men in the trenches for the offensive production. — Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026 Craig was highly rated, and the plan to try to be more physical with Sammis’ pro-style attack in a league increasingly dominated by teams built in the trenches like Texas Tech, BYU and Utah seemed smart. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026 Hafley has vowed to build a physical team on offense and defense, and that pledge starts with building the team through the trenches. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026 Shapira paints a picture of a kinder, gentler war, where technology takes soldiers away from the trenches and from the tanks, to a chair behind a screen. — Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the trenches

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The trenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20trenches. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster