entrench

verb

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en·trench | \ in-ˈtrench

, en- \

variants: or less commonly intrench \ in-ˈtrench

entrenched also intrenched; entrenching also intrenching; entrenches also intrenches

Definition of entrench

transitive verb

1a : 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

intransitive verb

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

Other Words from entrench Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about entrench

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Synonyms & Antonyms for entrench

Synonyms

bed,
embed
(also imbed),
enroot,
fix,
impact,
implant,
ingrain
(also engrain),
lodge,
root

Antonyms

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 purchase of the U.S. biopharma outfit — the largest deal for AstraZeneca since it was founded in a 1999 combination of British and Swedish firms — would entrench the U.K. giant’s position among the world’s 10 biggest drugmakers. — Suzi Ring, Bloomberg.com, "Astra CEO Lands Mega-Deal, Defends Vaccine in Sydney Quarantine," 14 Dec. 2020 The very businesses and services that sustain coziness further entrench us in a bifurcated economy fueled by data surveillance and cheap, precarious labor. — New York Times, "How Nothingness Became Everything We Wanted," 19 Jan. 2021 His subordinates will rush through federal regulatory changes and try to entrench other policy changes. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "Has an American President Ever Been Worse at Politics?," 28 Dec. 2020 And this year’s slate could further entrench Netflix with viewers around the world for many years to come. — Adam Epstein, Quartz, "Netflix will release a new movie every week in 2021," 12 Jan. 2021 The measures would also create a new set of competition rules for a cadre of digital giants that have been accused of wielding their control of online marketplaces to entrench their own positions and snuff out competitors. — Sam Schechner, WSJ, "Tech Giants Face New Rules in Europe, Backed by Huge Fines," 15 Dec. 2020 It’s the largest deal for AstraZeneca since it was founded in a 1999 combination of British and Swedish companies, and would entrench its position among the world’s 10 biggest drugmakers. — James Paton, Fortune, "AstraZeneca acquires rare-disease specialist Alexion in $39 billion deal," 13 Dec. 2020 The possible beginning of a Jokowi dynasty underlines how a few political families have managed to entrench themselves in Indonesia’s young democracy. — Claire Jiao, Bloomberg.com, "Indonesia May Have a New Political Dynasty With Jokowi’s Family," 7 Dec. 2020 During the previous forty-eight hours, the President’s campaign to overturn the 2020 election result and entrench himself in the White House for another four years had suffered a series of heavy blows. — John Cassidy, The New Yorker, "A Victory for Democracy: Trump Allows the Transition to Begin," 24 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entrench.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.