Entrenched
/ɪnˈtrentʃt/
Definitions
Firmly established and difficult or impossible to change; ingrained.
/ɪnˈtrentʃt/
Firmly established and difficult to change.
The company's bureaucratic processes had become deeply entrenched.
💡 Simply: Think of something that's super stuck in place, like a habit or a belief that's been around for ages and is hard to get rid of. It's like when your favorite toy is buried in the sand and you can't dig it out!
👶 For kids: When something is stuck in place and hard to change, like a really deep hole that's hard to get out of.
More Examples
Cultural traditions are often entrenched over time.
The belief in hard work was entrenched in his family's values.
How It's Used
"Entrenched political power often resists reforms."
"Entrenched social inequalities can persist for generations."
From Middle French *entrenchier* (to cut in), from *en-* (in) + *trenchier* (to cut). The word originally referred to military fortifications before broadening in meaning.
Originally used in military contexts to describe defensive fortifications.
Memory tip
Imagine soldiers deeply digging trenches - they're making their position *entrenched* and difficult to attack.