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

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

See Examples For:

establish establishes established establishing

The Myanmar judgment, expected in October, would establish the lower threshold before the ICJ judgment on Israel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Warren also raised questions about Taylor Farms’ political contributions and lobbying, though her letter did not establish that those connections altered the government’s response.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

"Maybe it will take a massive, Chernobyl-scale disaster to get governments to act," Russell said, urging them to establish a licensing regime for AI, as exists with aviation, medicine or water supply.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

In 2017, Clear Lake’s dire condition led the state to establish a blue ribbon commission, with tribal participation, focused on cleaning up the lake to bolster the local boating and fishing economy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

These same principles led astronomers to take a new interest in measuring distances in order to establish exactly where certain objects—new stars—were in the heavens.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

The sixth episode establishes, finally, that not only are they fast friends, but Ted is also ready to begin dating again with Michelle’s blessing.

From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026

Article III establishes “one Supreme Court,” and Article I mentions “the Chief Justice,” but otherwise the Constitution leaves to Congress the authority to establish the structure of the federal judiciary, including the number of justices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

This battle over cheese does not pass the smell test for Busch, who argues the U.S. also gives preferential treatment to countries it establishes trade deals with—including Canada.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026

Cohen’s office said in a statement that its bill “clarifies existing law and establishes a consistent, common-sense standard for determining whether an owner remains connected to a securities account.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

The system by which the Food and Drug Administration establishes maximum permissible limits of contamination, called “tolerances,” has obvious defects.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

A striking new appearance and several innovative features ensured the Ultimate Championship provided a notably different feel to that of the sport's established global championships.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Alongside Carney’s established emissaries are informal advisers drawn from the worlds of finance and politics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended that violence and established a process through which Northern Ireland could eventually join the Republic of Ireland if voters supported doing so.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

In early August, it established a mechanism for the US government to review new cutting-edge AI models, but participation is voluntary and details of how it works have not been disclosed.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

By retiring when he did, he avoided that fate, which would have established a precedent that smacked of monarchical longevity by permitting biology to set the terminus of his tenure.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Democrats in both the House and the Senate on Tuesday discussed establishing select committees on artificial intelligence.

From Slate ● Sep. 12, 2026

Morocco said on Thursday there were "no facts" establishing its involvement in the massive migrant rush into Spain's North African exclave of Ceuta in July.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

In 1984, President Cleveland signed a congressional act establishing the first Monday of September as a legal holiday, which has become known for promotional sales as well as a day off for many.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

Insult humor among male friends can be about bonding or establishing a pecking order.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

I saw my work as complementing Barack’s success in establishing the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which greatly increased access to health insurance for all Americans.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

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