# trenches

/ˈtɹɛntʃɪz/ (US) · /tɹˈɛntʃɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trenches
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. military ditches

noun · CEFR B2

long, deep holes dug in the ground to protect soldiers during a war.

For teachers: deep, narrow excavations used as defensive fortifications in warfare, particularly associated with the static combat of World War I.

- Soldiers lived in the muddy trenches for months during the long winter of the war.
- The archaeological survey revealed a complex network of trenches that had remained largely undisturbed since the armistice was signed.

### 2. the front lines of work

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

the place where the hardest, most practical work happens in a job or project.

For teachers: the front lines of a practical endeavour, where the most difficult or routine tasks are performed away from management or theory.

- After years in the trenches as a classroom teacher, she finally became a principal.
- The CEO spent a week working in the trenches of the customer service department to better understand the daily frustrations of the staff.

Usage: Usually used with the definite article 'the'.

## Examples

- The soldiers spent months living in the cold trenches.
- After years of working in the trenches of local politics, she finally decided to run for mayor.
- The historical site preserves the original network of trenches, offering a somber reminder of the static and brutal nature of warfare during the early twentieth century.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.