establish

verb es·tab·lish \ i-ˈsta-blish \

Updated on: 3 Dec 2017

Definition of establish

transitive verb

1 : to institute (something, such as a law) permanently by enactment or agreement

2 obsolete : settle 7

3 a : to make firm or stable

b : to introduce and cause to grow and multiply

establish grass on pasturelands

4 a : to bring into existence : found

established a republic

b : bring about, effect

established friendly relations

5 a : to put on a firm basis : set up

establish his son in business

b : to put into a favorable position

c : to gain full recognition or acceptance of

the role established her as a star

6 : to make (a church) a national or state institution

7 : to put beyond doubt : prove

established my innocence

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establishable

play \i-ˈsta-bli-shə-bəl\ adjective

—

establisher

play \i-ˈsta-bli-shər\ noun

See establish defined for English-language learners

See establish defined for kids

Examples of establish in a Sentence

The film established her as a star.
She established a reputation as a hard worker.
The word is now established as part of the English language.
The company has established itself as a leader in the industry.
As a young doctor he worked hard to establish himself in the community.
They want to establish their children in the family business.
She established a system of tracking expenses more accurately.
The two countries established a mutual trade agreement.
establishing a link between diet and cancer
Investigators are trying to establish if anyone knew about these problems before the accident.

Recent Examples of establish from the Web

The year-old partnership, which includes Ford Motor Co., will establish 20 stations along major roads in Germany, Norway and Austria this year, rising to about 400 by the end of the decade, the companies said Friday in a statement.

— elisabeth behrmann, Bloomberg.com, "The Fast-Charging Rollout for Cars Starts in Europe," 3 Nov. 2017
Groups will be established based on such topics as traffic, stormwater, land use, parking and others as determined by community input.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Naperville poised to approve committee to steer 5th Avenue redevelopment project," 2 Nov. 2017
As such, Sporting Kansas City is thought to be leaning against one-year fixes this offseason and instead eyeing young overseas talents who can establish longer-term residence.

— sam mcdowell, kansascity, "After another exit that came too soon, what will Sporting KC do this offseason?," 2 Nov. 2017
The Board continues to work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all Academy members will be expected to exemplify.

— erika harwood, Vanities, "Emmanuel Macron Plans to Revoke Harvey Weinstein’s French Legion of Honor Award," 16 Oct. 2017
Council members could also give the go-ahead on the process for establishing working groups for the project.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Naperville poised to approve committee to steer 5th Avenue redevelopment project," 2 Nov. 2017
Jewish Women's Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches is a not for profit organization established to improve the lives of women and girls.

— marvin glassman, Jewish Journal, "Jewish Women's Foundation to present why feminism is good for men," 26 Oct. 2017
In 1970, Jones began holding services in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and soon established permanent chapters of the church in those cities.

— eliza thompson, Cosmopolitan, "Everything to Know About the Next Cult Leader Coming to American Horror Story," 24 Oct. 2017
The 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project established a scholarship fund to benefit Johnson's children by providing money toward their college education.

— justin carissimo, CBS News, "Funeral held for Sgt. La David Johnson, soldier killed in Niger ambush," 21 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'establish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of establish

Middle English establissen, from Anglo-French establiss-, stem of establir, from Latin stabilire, from stabilis stable

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

establish Synonyms

Synonyms

demonstrate, prove, show, substantiate

Antonyms

disprove

Related Words

attest, authenticate, bear out, document, evidence, support, sustain, uphold; confirm, corroborate, justify, validate, verify

Near Antonyms

confute, discredit, invalidate, rebut, refute

ESTABLISH Defined for English Language Learners

establish

verb

Definition of establish for English Language Learners

: to cause (someone or something) to be widely known and accepted
: to put (someone or something) in a position, role, etc., that will last for a long time
: to begin or create (something that is meant to last for a long time)