trenchant

[tren-chuhnt] / ˈtrɛn tʃənt /

ADJECTIVE

sarcastic, scathing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acerbic biting caustic incisive mordant penetrating pointed pungent salient unsparing

WEAK

acid acidulous acute astringent clear clear-cut crisp critical crushing cutting distinct driving dynamic effective effectual emphatic energetic explicit forceful forcible graphic hurtful impressive intense keen piquant potent powerful razor-sharp salty sardonic sententious severe sharp significant strong tart to the point unequivocal vigorous weighty well-defined

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bland blunt calm dull gentle kind mild nice soothing stupid

WEAK

frivolous impotent weak

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.

But it’s consistently appealing, underpinned by fluent Broadway pop-rock melodies that, importantly, never overwhelm the lyrics, which are trenchant and clever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

Associated Newspapers has not issued a statement in response to the BBC, but has previously denied the allegations, saying it has "filed a trenchant defence of its journalism against claims of phone-hacking".

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025

Smith understood how her features cut into and through a role – wide eyes amply lidded, trenchant cheekbones, features that one might associate with snobbery.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2024

Her work builds on a simple but trenchant observation: In the long history of Western painting, monumental portraits of Black women are almost nonexistent.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2024

"She was excessively artificial, but not altogether uninteresting," observed Wyn, in her trenchant way.

From The Tree of Knowledge A Novel by Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie

Vocabulary lists containing trenchant

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