establish

American  

[ih-stab-lish] / ɪˈstæb lɪʃ /

verb (used with object)

• establishes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• established,
  past participle,  past
• establishing
  present participle

1. 

   to found, institute, build, or bring into being on a firm or stable basis.

   to establish a university; to establish a medical practice.

   Synonyms:

   organize, form

   Antonyms:

   abolish

2. to install or settle in a position, place, business, etc..

   to establish one's child in business.

3. to show to be valid or true; prove.

   to establish the facts of the matter.

   Synonyms:

   substantiate, verify

   Antonyms:

   disprove

4. to cause to be accepted or recognized.

   to establish a custom; She established herself as a leading surgeon.

5. to bring about permanently.

   to establish order.

6. to enact, appoint, or ordain for permanence, as a law; fix unalterably.

   Synonyms:

   decree

7. to make (a church) a national or state institution.

8. Cards. to obtain control of (a suit) so that one can win all the subsequent tricks in it.

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establish British  

/ ɪˈstæblɪʃ /

verb

1. to make secure or permanent in a certain place, condition, job, etc

   to establish one's usefulness

   to establish a house

2. to create or set up (an organization, etc) on or as if on a permanent basis

   to establish a company

3. to prove correct or free from doubt; validate

   to establish a fact

4. to cause (a principle, theory, etc) to be widely or permanently accepted

   to establish a precedent

5. to give (a Church) the status of a national institution

6. (of a person) to become recognized and accepted

   he established himself as a reliable GP

7. (in works of imagination) to cause (a character, place, etc) to be credible and recognized

   the first scene established the period

8. cards to make winners of (the remaining cards of a suit) by forcing out opponents' top cards

9. (also intr) botany

   1. to cause (a plant) to grow or (of a plant) to grow in a new place

      the birch scrub has established over the past 25 years

   2. to become or cause to become a sapling or adult plant from a seedling

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Synonym Usage

See fix.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• establisher
  noun
• reestablish
  verb (used with object)
• superestablish
  verb (used with object)
• establishable
  adjective
• unestablishable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• establishing
  present
• established
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• establish
  simple
• establishes
  simple
• have established
  perfect
• has established
  perfect
• am establishing
  progressive
• are establishing
  progressive
• is establishing
  progressive
• have been establishing
  perfect progressive
• has been establishing
  perfect progressive

Past

• established
  simple
• had established
  perfect
• was establishing
  progressive
• were establishing
  progressive
• had been establishing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will establish
  simple
• will have established
  perfect
• will be establishing
  progressive
• will have been establishing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of establish

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English establissen, establishen, from Middle French establiss-, extended stem of establir, from Latin stabilīre, derivative of stabilis stable ²

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Explanation

To establish something means to begin it or bring it about. If you want everyone in your family to bring you chocolate every evening, you can establish a “Chocolates for Me” policy requiring it. Establish is related to stable through its Latin roots and has many meanings, but all have the feel of building on a stable foundation. Besides the meaning of setting a policy, establish can also mean to prove one's value. You should establish yourself in a community before you try to bring change to it. Similarly, if you like to debate controversial issues, you'd best begin with facts that have been established and are not open to question. If you have a lot of money and want to build up your community, you can establish, or found, a school or library there.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

establish establishes established establishing

The newspaper's investigation did not establish any criminal wrongdoing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Although the findings reveal an association, they do not establish that getting more daylight directly prevents dementia.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

"The game's opening cinematic utilises some real world news coverage to establish the game's fictional narrative."

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Disagreements between the contractor and the airport over who would sign the agreement with DWP to establish solar power have surfaced in a lawsuit and monthly progress reports about the project.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

And they objected to making discrimination against women part of the Constitution, fearful that it would make it more difficult for women to establish their rights at a later date.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

"The fact that there are sanctions establishes the fact that there have been violations."

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Discounts and booking terms can complicate comparisons, and none of these tests establishes that the AI commission caused the price gap.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

Trading cards and other collectibles are verified and assigned condition grades by PSA, which establishes their value and protects them by assigning serial numbers and certification information.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

The atlas also establishes a detailed reference for healthy mouse brain tissue.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

It establishes the connection between the speaker and the audience, and it steers how that speech will be received.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Upstarts like Barebells and David were winning consumers with new flavors and viral marketing while its more established brands underdelivered.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

He quickly established himself as one of the league’s promising young players, earning NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2021.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Tracy Woo, a principal analyst at Forrester, said Alphabet's disappointing search business results "highlights the challenge of funding massive AI investments while maintaining the strength of established businesses."

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

However, the established theory predicts a maximum energy for these emissions based on the properties of the incoming laser.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

As a soldier, Washington had established a reputation for strict discipline among his troops.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

"The US military is establishing a capability there," Marchan said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026

What has been missing is large-scale clinical evidence from U.S. populations establishing its safety and effectiveness for treating tooth decay, a key step toward obtaining FDA approval for that specific use.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

In the documentary - made by BBC Northern Ireland in association with RTÉ - Devine says he regrets that his evidence was not more helpful in establishing who carried out the attack.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

The film takes its time establishing Matt as a grateful and humble fellow who remains grounded by his modest beginnings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

Striking to the contemporary eye, the 117 codicils of the Great Law were concerned as much with establishing the limits on the great council’s powers as on granting them.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

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Related Words

• authorize
• base
• build
• create
• enact
• form
• found
• inaugurate
• install
• institute
• provide
• put
• settle
• start

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