entrenched

American  

[en-trencht] / ɛnˈtrɛntʃt /

adjective

1. firmly or solidly established; placed in a position of strength.

   One of the most firmly entrenched ideas of masculinity is that men don't cry.

2. surrounded by trenches dug for defensive purposes.

   Government troops had finally been forced to abandon their entrenched positions, making them vulnerable to ground attack.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of entrench.

Other Word Forms

• unentrenched adjective

Etymology

Origin of entrenched

entrench ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When you're entrenched, you're dug in. Sometimes that means you're literally in a trench, but usually it means you just won't budge from a position or belief. Entrenched things are buried so solidly that they can't move — or just behave like they're firmly lodged in some deep hole. Usually this word refers to views people hold very strongly. Having turkey on Thanksgiving is a tradition that's entrenched in American culture — it's long been established and isn't going anywhere. When you're entrenched, you're being stubborn or consistent, depending on your view.

Example Sentences

After nearly 100 years in business, IBM’s software and hardware are entrenched “across the most critical points of the world’s largest, most complex IT infrastructures.”

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Americans spend so much time entrenched in silent fear and anxiety about the violent nature of the country.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

“I was so entrenched in why women commit acts of crime,” Alloway said, adding that she was disappointed to find that revenge films on the subject still often revolved around men.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

And Tigers are a lot more safely entrenched in the top four because of it – four points clear of fifth.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

The value of high school football was deeply entrenched.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Related Words

• rooted