trenches

NOUN

ditch, channel dug in earth

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dike foxhole gorge gully moat pit trough waterway

STRONG

arroyo canal cut depression drain drill dugout earthwork entrenchment excavation fosse furrow gulch gutter hollow main rut sink tube

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.

To learn when those earthquakes occurred, scientists dig trenches across the scarps and study the displaced layers of soil and sediment.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

You led our party to a victory few thought possible in 2024 and I was proud to fight alongside you in the trenches of that campaign.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Whether or not you pursue sleep training for the imperfect strategy that it is, there’s a ray of hope for anyone struggling through the trenches of nighttime wake-ups.

From Slate • May 3, 2026

Pretzel’s lore intensified amid the Siege of Vienna in 1529, when the Ottoman Empire attempted to capture the city by digging extensive lines of trenches.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

To get down onto the sea-ice through the broken edges and shelves and trenches of the Ice jammed up amongst the Red Hills took that afternoon and the next day.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin