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

• 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

Users dabbled with other apps not covered by the ban but "largely returned to major, established platforms", officials wrote in the briefing dated February 2.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

The free exhibition will showcase works by established, mid-career and emerging artists, with Alison Saar serving as the event’s signature artist.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

He questioned whether such an approach would be lawful, how it would impact the mortgage market and how millions of commonhold associations could be immediately established to manage buildings.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

“The rally from the March low has been strong into cycle highs, with momentum building within an already established uptrend from the April 2025 low, favoring a potential break above 0.7200,” Simpson says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

The team does this to reinforce that fear of humans—which, hopefully, has already been well established.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

Related Words

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