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

In the words of captain Meg Jones, they had to "go to the trenches" during their title defence and "fronted up" to prove to their doubters wrong.

From BBC • May 17, 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

They built new airstrips as they needed them and lived with the local population or even in hastily dug trenches in the ground sheltered by tarpaulin sheets.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein