establish

verb es·tab·lish \ i-ˈsta-blish \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

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

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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

Though not as critical as re-establishing a consistent pass rush.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan State football eons away from where it was in 2017," 7 Apr. 2018
These mayors pledged to uphold the climate agreement, which was established to try and limit the rise of global average temperatures to 2.0 degrees Celsius—and aim for even more progressive targets.

— alissa walker, Curbed, "You can’t be a ‘climate mayor’ if you’re making more room for cars," 6 Apr. 2018
Having quit the veterinary hospital to dedicate himself to taxidermy full time, Gaikwad now works at the Wildlife Taxidermy Center established for him at Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

— rachel brown, National Geographic, "Meet the Man Who May Be India's Last Taxidermist," 6 Apr. 2018
Since it was established in 2014, the Public Defense Commission has created some new standards, such as requiring that an attorney be present at an arraignment and provided additional training opportunities for public defenders across the state.

— gretel kauffman, idahostatesman, "A Twin Falls man says his public defender failed him. Now he hopes reforms will help others like him. | Idaho Statesman," 5 Apr. 2018
Dantas recently began tracing those dynamics in premature babies, whose microbiomes are just being established.

— marla broadfoot, Science | AAAS, "Too many antibiotics can give preemies a lifetime of ill health," 5 Apr. 2018
Ross School was built circa the 1850s and served generations of students up until 1956, when District 33C was established with the consolidation of six one-room schoolhouses.

— Daily Southtown, "Community news," 5 Apr. 2018
That’s one of the reasons why Valk, of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, expressed skepticism about re-establishing a select committee to address global warming.

— josh kurtz, Scientific American, "If Democrats Retake Congress, Could House Climate Committee Come Back?," 2 Apr. 2018
In recent years, Cork has established itself as a culinary destination, and at the heart of the city's food scene is the English Market.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "A 24-Hour Guide to Cork, Ireland," 27 Mar. 2018

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

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establish Synonyms

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)