entrench
en·trench/ɪnˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/verb
entrench is spelled E-N-T-R-E-N-C-H: 8 letters and 2 syllables (en·trench). It appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 64,400th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, entrench means “To cut in; to furrow; to make trenches in or upon” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in entrench?
| Letters | 8: E-N-T-R-E-N-C-H |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: en·trench |
| In writing | about once in every 5 million words; the 64,400th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is entrench?
Entrench appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 64,400th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce entrench?
- US /ɪnˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/
- US /ɛnˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/
- US /ɪnˈtɹɪnt͡ʃ/
Entrench has 2 syllables, split en·trench in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Simplificationalizer-entrench.wav, En-au-entrench.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with entrench?
5 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as entrench from its last stressed vowel (/ɛntʃ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of entrench
- entrenches present, singular, he/she/it
- entrenching participle, present
- entrenched participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does entrench mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To cut in; to furrow; to make trenches in or upon.
- 2
To dig or excavate a trench; to trench.
- 3
To surround or provide with a trench, especially for defense; to dig in.
The army entrenched its camp, or entrenched itself.
- 4
To become completely absorbed in and fully accept one's beliefs, even in the face of evidence against it and refusing to be reasoned with.
- 5
To establish a substantial position in business, politics, etc.
Senator Cornpone was able to entrench by spending millions on each campaign.
- 6
To invade; to encroach; to infringe or trespass; to enter on, and take possession of, that which belongs to another; usually followed by on or upon.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Entrench in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | graben, ausheben , eingraben, verschanzen, mit einen Graben umgeben , Fuß fassen |
| French | retrancher |
| Portuguese | entrincheirar |
| Spanish | atrincherar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does entrench come from?
From en- + trench. First attested in the 1550s.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).