established

1 of 2

adjective

es·​tab·​lished i-ˈsta-blisht 

1

: accepted and recognized or followed by many people

established rules/customs/traditions

2

a

: successful for a long period of time and widely known

an established author/artist

an established law firm

… people with Ph.D.s have been credentialed by established experts in their fields

—Louis Menand

b

: growing or flourishing successfully

an established plant

an established flower garden

3

of a church or religion : officially recognized and accepted by the government of a country

Some of the religious groups lasted, but at a price. Their dogma hardened, and they developed organizational structures that are mirror images of established churches.

—O. B. Hardison, Jr.

established

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of establish

Examples of established in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As an established personality there were opportunities for self-mockery and oddball choices. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

The subheadline in print presents climate change as an established explanation. — Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Lionel Mestre, partner at French private equity firm Weinberg Capital Partners, told CNBC his firm still focuses on profitable defense businesses with established products, customers and positive cash flow, rather than early-stage startups. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026

This latest round of funding supports an exciting range of projects from emerging creatives forging new paths to established voices exploring new creative territory. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing established

• established church
• established order
• pre-established

Rhymes for established

• disestablished
• preestablished
• reestablished
• stablished