retrenchments
Forced spending reductions
Retrenchments are cutbacks or reductions, especially in spending or workforce.
The word appears most often in business and government contexts: The company announced retrenchments affecting three hundred employees.
In corporate usage, retrenchment often means layoffs specifically, while in government it typically refers to budget cuts or scaling back programs.
Mass job eliminations
- downsizingReducing workforce or scale
- cutbacksReductions in spending
- redundanciesUnneeded duplications or repetitions
- workforce reductionCutting employee headcount
restructuring · severance · dismissals · rightsizing · headcount reduction · terminations · pink slips · staff reduction
Planned spending reductions
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- spending cutsReducing governmental expenditures
- cost reductionDecreasing expenditure amounts
- belt-tighteningReducing expenditures deliberately
economizing · deficit reduction · fiscal restraint · trimming · curtailment · scaling back · frugality · pruning
Strengthening defenses or nutrients
- earthworksConstructed soil fortifications
- rampartsProtective fortress walls
- defensive positionsPlaces fortified against assault
- breastworksHastily built defensive walls
parapets · embankments · redoubts · fieldworks · barricades · bulwarks · strongpoints · defensive lines
layoffs
Mass job eliminations
- downsizingReducing workforce or scale
- cutbacksReductions in spending
- redundanciesUnneeded duplications or repetitions
workforce reduction · restructuring · severance · dismissals · rightsizing · headcount reduction · terminations · pink slips · staff reduction · voluntary separation
budget cuts
Planned spending reductions
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- spending cutsReducing governmental expenditures
- cost reductionDecreasing expenditure amounts
belt-tightening · economizing · deficit reduction · fiscal restraint · trimming · curtailment · scaling back · frugality · pruning · tightening
fortification
Strengthening defenses or nutrients
- earthworksConstructed soil fortifications
- rampartsProtective fortress walls
- defensive positionsPlaces fortified against assault
breastworks · parapets · embankments · redoubts · fieldworks · barricades · bulwarks · strongpoints · defensive lines · trenches
retrenchmentsexpansions
Increases in size
growth · buildups · enlargements · augmentations · extensions
retrenchmentsinvestments
Assets bought for profit
spending sprees · splurges · extravagances · profligacy · stimulus