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

Get an established lawn ready for dormant seeding by using a core aerator. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2025

By 2017, Taylor Jenkins Reid was an established author, with five books under her belt, including the bestseller The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. —Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025

Unable to attract established screenwriters, Lee developed the storylines himself. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025

Plenty of established but underperforming head coaches at power conference schools will be available for hire this winter. —Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025

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