trench warfare

noun

: warfare in which the opposing forces attack and counterattack from a relatively permanent system of trenches protected by barbed-wire entanglements

Examples of trench warfare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Initially, Moscow’s invasion of its Western neighbor seemed distant and irrelevant to Pyongyang, but as the conflict devolved into a prolonged war of attrition, with trench warfare reminiscent of World War I, artillery and manpower became crucial. —Andrei Lankov, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2024

And with tight polling and such a short runway left in the election, the race has morphed into trench warfare, leaving both sides looking for any way to have the edge when the fighting ends on Nov. 5. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2024

Plastic surgery became more important with the advent of trench warfare in World War I, when bullets could strike people in the face in the trenches. —Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 10 July 2024

Instead, Russia has imposed on us years of trench warfare, as in the previous century. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above