entrench
verb
en·trench
in-ˈtrench 
en-
variants
or less commonly intrench
entrenched also intrenched; entrenching also intrenching; entrenches also intrenches
1
a
: to place within or surround with a trench especially for defense
b
: to place (oneself) in a strong defensive position
c
: to establish solidly
entrenched themselves in the business
2
: to cut into : furrow
specifically
: to erode downward so as to form a trench
1
: to dig or occupy a trench for defensive purposes
2
: to enter upon or take over something unfairly, improperly, or unlawfully : encroach
—used with on or upon
Synonyms
Examples of entrench in a Sentence
officials who have tried to entrench themselves in office
a father who entrenched in our minds the belief that hard work pays off
Recent Examples on the Web
The Bahamas followed, but the obvious goal for any business is to be firmly entrenched in the United States.
—
John Tamny, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
And in what may be a long shot, some proponents even think nuclear can make a comeback in California, where opponents have long been entrenched.
—Rob Nikolewski, The Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2024
But Lebanon’s army is no match for Hezbollah, and neither its soldiers nor the peacekeepers have been capable of preventing the Shiite militants from entrenching themselves in the border region.
—Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
The sights and sounds of the Haka – feet stomping, fists pumping, vocal cords straining – are deeply entrenched within New Zealand culture and have been famously adopted by the country’s rugby teams as a pre-match ritual.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for entrench 
John Tamny, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
And in what may be a long shot, some proponents even think nuclear can make a comeback in California, where opponents have long been entrenched.
—Rob Nikolewski, The Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2024
But Lebanon’s army is no match for Hezbollah, and neither its soldiers nor the peacekeepers have been capable of preventing the Shiite militants from entrenching themselves in the border region.
—Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
The sights and sounds of the Haka – feet stomping, fists pumping, vocal cords straining – are deeply entrenched within New Zealand culture and have been famously adopted by the country’s rugby teams as a pre-match ritual.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for entrench
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entrench.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near entrench
Cite this Entry
“Entrench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entrench. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
entrench
verb
en·trench
in-ˈtrench
1
a
: to dig, place within, surround with, or occupy a trench especially for defense
b
: to establish solidly
2
: encroach sense 1
—used with on or upon
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