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• establishment
  establishment

  noun

  the act or an instance of establishing.
• Establishment
  Establishment

  noun

  a group or class of people having institutional authority within a society, esp those who control the civil service, the government, the armed forces, and the Church: usually identified with a conservative outlook

establishment

American  

[ih-stab-lish-muhnt] / ɪˈstæb lɪʃ mənt /

noun

• establishments
  plural

1. the act or an instance of establishing.

2. the state or fact of being established.

3. something established; a constituted order or system.

4. Often the Establishment

   1. the existing power structure in society; the dominant groups in society and their customs or institutions; institutional authority.

      The Establishment believes exploring outer space is worth any tax money spent.

   2. the dominant group in a field of endeavor, organization, etc..

      the literary Establishment.

5. a household; place of residence including its furnishings, grounds, etc.

6. a place of business together with its employees, merchandise, equipment, etc.

7. a permanent civil, military, or other force or organization.

8. an institution, as a school, hospital, etc.

9. the recognition by a state of a church as the state church.

10. the church so recognized, especially the Church of England.

11. Archaic. a fixed or settled income.

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establishment ¹ British  

/ ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt /

noun

1. the act of establishing or state of being established

2. 1. a business organization or other large institution

   2. the place where a business is carried on

3. the staff and equipment of a commercial or other organization

4. the approved size, composition, and equipment of a military unit, government department, business division, etc, as formally promulgated

5. any large organization, institution, or system

6. a household or place of residence

7. a body of employees or servants

8. (modifier) belonging to or characteristic of the Establishment; orthodox or conservative

   the establishment view of history

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Establishment ² British  

/ ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt /

noun

1. a group or class of people having institutional authority within a society, esp those who control the civil service, the government, the armed forces, and the Church: usually identified with a conservative outlook

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Usage

What does establishment mean? Establishment commonly refers to the official start or founding of something, such as a law, business, or other organization, as in It has been 200 years since the establishment of this great nation. It is the noun form of the verb establish, which has many meanings but most commonly means to found, institute, or bring into being. Things that have been established are called establishments, especially businesses, as in I try to buy from local establishments whenever possible. Establishment is also used more specifically to refer collectively to the existing power structure in a society and its dominant institutions, as in That kind of radical thinking is frowned upon by the establishment. This use is often negative. It can also be used in a similar way to refer to the dominant group in a particular field, as in the medical establishment. In both of these cases, Establishment is often capitalized.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonestablishment
  noun
• reestablishment
  noun
• superestablishment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• establishments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of establishment

First recorded in 1475–85, and in 1920–25 establishment for def. 4a; establish + -ment

Explanation

Kids were more comfortable in school after the establishment of a no-tolerance bullying policy in the cafeteria. Establishment means setting up or something that has been set up. In the 1960s, the youth movement took on what they called "the establishment," by which they meant the way society was set up and organized. Their sentiments could be summed up in a word that is rumored to be one of the longest in the English language, if it actually exists: disestablishmentarianism.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

establishment Establishment establishments

Veerain Reddy, the third generation of his family running the 50-year-old theatre, said maintaining the establishment "was not an easy task".

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

However, TikTok has up to a year to implement other changes included as part of the settlement, such as the establishment of age verification measures.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Albanese announced the establishment of an Australian government task force to review the incident and said its report would consider “possible law enforcement and legislative responses” to prevent future incidents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Given French’s loathsome history, Abbott and others in the party establishment worked hard to keep him from winning the Republican nomination, Rice noted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

Like almost all other English scientists, he joined the war effort and became part of the Admiralty’s scientific establishment.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Midlife Snoop is the Establishment, a company pillar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026

It represents what might be called an Establishment Modernism, befitting a confident institution secure in its sense of self.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025

The Constitution has the Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from “establishing” a national religion.

From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2024

Establishment of the public-private research center is a coup for Southern California that “will cement California’s global, economic, scientific and technical dominance into the 22nd century and beyond,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2024

Fern had managed to completely flummox the Establishment.

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia

The change means businesses will no longer be required to let people use physical ID, but the government contends most establishments would.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Members of the Moneyist Facebook Group also suggest remembering the staff in your 24-hour bonanza at these two establishments.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

Some establishments near Fenway Park started comparing driver’s licenses presented by patrons to the Apple IDs on their phones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

The case against Rocha Moya and his alleged confederates sent shock waves through the country’s political and law enforcement establishments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

She went to museums and restaurants, eating steaks in quiet establishments and burgers in noisy pubs.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

Related Words

• formation
• formulation
• founding
• inauguration
• installation
• institution