established

American  

[ih-stab-lisht] / ɪˈstæb lɪʃt /

adjective

1. founded, built, or brought into existence.

   The organization is getting ready to announce the first recipient of a newly established award recognizing outstanding service to the community.

2. settled or installed relatively permanently in a position, place, business, etc..

   The resort is a long established vacation destination with a strong reputation for delivering high-quality personal service to their guests.

3. proven valid or true.

   Knowledge about the venom of the spider that bit her is sparse, and there is no established treatment for it.

4. accepted or recognized.

   More recent research, however, contradicts the established narrative.

   Experimental psychology is an established field with a long history of research involving humans.

5. firm or settled in habit or condition.

   Her established dislike of poetry meant she rarely received it for review.

6. brought about, appointed, enacted, or ordained.

   Requirements include being covered by federally established health insurance, such as Medicare or Medicaid.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of establish.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• quasi-established
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of established

First recorded in 1350–1400; establish ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; establish ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Explanation

Something or someone well established is well known, totally trusted and usually has a proven track record of success. Becoming established doesn't happen overnight. You've got to put in the time and effort to prove yourself, make connections and build a good reputation. So it makes sense that this adjective is related to the verb establish, which means to "create, set up, or prove." Established is a handy word to know, especially when you're looking for a dentist — you probably won't want to try Dr. Lovedrill until his practice is more established.

Example Sentences

Although it’s established itself as a cultural phenomenon, “Euphoria” fought strong critical winds this season, as its Rotten Tomatoes score indicates.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Saudi Arabia launched its second national carrier Riyadh Air after more than a year of delays on Wednesday, defying the economic turmoil triggered by the Middle East war and strong competition from established Gulf airlines.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

It can’t, because the institutions that might anchor it—codified term limits, intraparty democracy, collective leadership norms—were either never established or were already hollowed out before he arrived.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The 26-year-old from Wigan has become an established hitting partner since his playing days on the Futures Tour, and shared a court with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at last year's Wimbledon.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

To deal with each other more effectively in the future, Kennedy and Khrushchev established a “hotline”—a direct phone line from Moscow to Washington.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• chartered
• completed
• founded
• incorporated
• initiated
• organized
• ratified
• set up
• settled