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. )

Example Sentences

“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

Now, they’re entrenched as the franchise quarterbacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions, respectively.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

Nepal votes Thursday for a new parliament, six months after deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the government -- a high-stakes showdown between an entrenched old guard and a powerful youth movement.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

American troops entrenched on the new line and repulsed two powerful German counterattacks.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• rooted