established

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.

Examples of established in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Timestamped, public, and—crucially—independent of established institutions. —Nic Puckrin, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026

Even with established leadership, including team president Teresa Resch, GM Monica Wright Rogers, and head coach Sandy Brondello, his voice in the room adds a layer of championship pedigree that few expansion teams ever get. —Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

The civilian aircraft was safely escorted out of the restricted area once communication was re-established. —Stephen Smith, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026

Was this the kind of assignment that more established runners ever tried to duck? —Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing established

• established church
• established order
• pre-established

Rhymes for established

• disestablished
• preestablished
• reestablished
• stablished