variants
also intrenches
as in roots
to set solidly in or as if in surrounding matter
a father who entrenched in our minds the belief that hard work pays off
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Recent Examples of entrenches
The 27-year-old’s withdrawal further entrenches Jonas Vingegaard’s status as the overwhelming favourite — bidding to become the only active rider to have won all three Grand Tours — having only taken victory at the Vuelta by one minute and 16 seconds over the Portuguese rider.
—
Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Gerrymandering reduces electoral competition, entrenches incumbents and marginalizes whole communities, ultimately eroding public trust in democracy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
But history suggests that war hardens political systems and entrenches dictatorships.
—Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026
The brooding aesthetic that usually entrenches a McQueen show was given a bit of levity in Seán McGirr’s fall collection.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
Markets, policymakers and regional leaders are now watching closely to see how far the conflict spreads, and whether the power shift in Tehran alters Iran’s political trajectory or further entrenches its security-first stance.
—Garrett Downs,greg Iacurci,azhar Sukri,spriha Srivastava,emma Graham,lee Ying Shan,anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
Republicans and Democrats are both committed to upholding the entitlement status quo, creating a bipartisan consensus that further entrenches a powerful gerontocracy.
—Aidan Grogan, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2026
With each passing day, Hamas further re-entrenches its control.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
The digital dirham likely further entrenches the US dollar’s dominance, because the UAE’s currency is pegged to the greenback, but gives US regulators less oversight over financial flows.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Gerrymandering reduces electoral competition, entrenches incumbents and marginalizes whole communities, ultimately eroding public trust in democracy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
But history suggests that war hardens political systems and entrenches dictatorships.
—Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026
The brooding aesthetic that usually entrenches a McQueen show was given a bit of levity in Seán McGirr’s fall collection.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
Markets, policymakers and regional leaders are now watching closely to see how far the conflict spreads, and whether the power shift in Tehran alters Iran’s political trajectory or further entrenches its security-first stance.
—Garrett Downs,greg Iacurci,azhar Sukri,spriha Srivastava,emma Graham,lee Ying Shan,anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
Republicans and Democrats are both committed to upholding the entitlement status quo, creating a bipartisan consensus that further entrenches a powerful gerontocracy.
—Aidan Grogan, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2026
With each passing day, Hamas further re-entrenches its control.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
The digital dirham likely further entrenches the US dollar’s dominance, because the UAE’s currency is pegged to the greenback, but gives US regulators less oversight over financial flows.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for entrenches
Verb
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This is a high-spirited opening for curious neighbors and travelers alike, with a mischievous sense of fun that firmly roots guests in their destination.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Louisiana dirty rice is a tasty meat-and-rice dish that roots its flavor in aromatic Cajun seasoning and the holy trinity vegetables.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The device, called 3D-MIND, embeds groups of living neurons within a three-dimensional electronic scaffold designed to support communication between biological tissue and computing hardware.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
-
Gone are the days of massive budgets and embeds with the Islamic State.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Verb
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While Xugana was one of the first Delta lodges to open in 1974 as part of the Desert & Delta portfolio, in 2025, the property unveiled a complete rebuild.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
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In addition, through diplomatic channels in both Beijing and Tokyo, Japan lodges strong representations and protests, stating that maritime and scientific surveys conducted in our EEZ without Japan's consent are unacceptable and must be immediately stopped.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Entrenches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/entrenches. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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