establish

American  

[ih-stab-lish] / ɪˈstæb lɪʃ /

verb (used with object)

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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Related Words

See fix.

Other Word Forms

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

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

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

That assessment may both define the market’s recent gains and establish how investors see performance heading into the summer months and beyond.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

Despite working with limited resources, they were able to establish new experimental limits on axion properties, demonstrating that smaller experiments can still advance one of physics' biggest unresolved problems.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

West Midlands Police said they had cordoned off the scene as officers work to establish the exact circumstances of the fire.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Washington led a military expedition to suppress the insurrection, but his preferred solution to Western fractiousness was to establish bonds of common interest between east and west through industry and commerce.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Instead, the prince must establish rewards for those who wish to do these things, and for anyone who seeks in any way to enrich his city or state.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

Related Words

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