entrenched
entrenched — adjective
1. firmly built into people's thinking or into a system, so it is difficult to remo
firmly built into people's thinking or into a system, so it is difficult to remove or alter
Entrenched attitudes kept younger staff out of management for years.
entrenched + plural noun
Even after the vote, corruption stayed entrenched in the city's housing office.
be entrenched in + institution
Deeply entrenched habits made the first month without sugar difficult.
The court said those unfair rules were too entrenched to disappear quickly.
- deep-rooted
stresses long growth over time, often in culture or family habits
- ingrained
often used for personal habits or attitudes that feel built in
- fixed
broader and weaker, without the strong idea of resistance to change
- changeable
describes something that can be altered fairly easily
- flexible
suggests a system or attitude can adapt instead of staying rigid
文法句型
entrenched attitudes
entrenched inequality
be entrenched in a system
remain deeply entrenched
用法筆記
Common with beliefs, customs, inequality, and systems rather than with physical objects. Distinguish from verb/2 and verb/3, which describe defensive positions and trenches in a literal way.
常見錯誤
entrenched — verb
1. to make a rule, belief, advantage, or problem so firmly established that getting
to make a rule, belief, advantage, or problem so firmly established that getting rid of it becomes difficult
Years of cheap labor entrenched the factory owner's power in the valley.
entrench power in + place
The new law entrenched the idea that renters should pay every repair cost.
entrench the idea that + clause
By rewarding only test scores, the system entrenched students' fear of classroom mistakes.
The reforms were meant to help villages, but they entrenched old inequalities.
- cement
emphasizes making an advantage or belief feel firmly fixed
- institutionalize
used when a practice becomes part of official rules or routines
- reinforce
broader and can be less final than entrench
文法句型
entrench a rule
entrench power in a system
entrench the idea that + clause
be entrenched over time
用法筆記
The object is usually an idea, pattern, power structure, or social problem. Distinguish from adjective/1, which describes the result after something has already become hard to change.
常見錯誤
2. to put yourself in a place where you are hard to attack and ready to resist
to put yourself in a place where you are hard to attack and ready to resist
By noon, the rebels had entrenched themselves on the hill above the bridge.
entrench oneself on + position
Police found the gang entrenched inside an empty warehouse near the port.
be entrenched inside + place
After the first warning shots, the unit stayed entrenched behind the stone wall.
The fighters quickly entrenched themselves along the road before night fell.
文法句型
entrench yourself on a hill
be entrenched behind a wall
stay entrenched inside a building
entrench along a road
用法筆記
This sense is about occupying a strong defensive position. Unlike verb/3, it focuses on where people settle to resist attack, not on the act of digging the trenches themselves.
常見錯誤
3. to protect a place by digging trenches around it or by preparing trench defenses
to protect a place by digging trenches around it or by preparing trench defenses there
Before dawn, engineers entrenched the camp with a second line of ditches.
entrench a camp with trenches
The army entrenched the river crossing before the enemy reached the bridge.
Soldiers entrenched the hilltop while cooks boiled rice by the tents.
By evening, the troops had entrenched the narrow road with wire and sandbags.
文法句型
entrench a camp
entrench a crossing
entrench a hilltop
entrench a road with wire and sandbags
用法筆記
Usually refers to physically preparing a place for defense by digging or building trench protection. Distinguish from verb/2, where the focus is on defenders settling into position rather than on shaping the ground.