establishment

noun es·tab·lish·ment \ i-ˈsta-blish-mənt \

Definition of establishment

1 :something established: such as

a :a settled arrangement; especially :a code of laws

b :established church

c :a permanent civil or military organization

d :a place of business or residence with its furnishings and staff

e :a public or private institution

2 :an established order of society: such as

a often capitalized :a group of social, economic, and political leaders who form a ruling class (as of a nation)

b often capitalized :a controlling group

the literary establishment

3 a :the act of establishing

b :the state of being established

See establishment defined for English-language learners

See establishment defined for kids

Examples of establishment in a Sentence

the establishment of a business
the establishment of a scientific fact
His novels were disliked by the literary establishment.

Recent Examples of establishment from the Web

The D.C. foreign-policy establishment is pretty squeamish about Trump.

— kathy gilsinan, The Atlantic, "Emirati Ambassador: Qatar Is a Destructive Force in the Region," 28 Aug. 2017
The museum was in the midst of a $200,000 renovation when the parking lot flooded, forcing owner Kenneth Seo to shut down the establishment.

— jessica mattern, Country Living, "30,000 Amazing Antiques Are for Sale in This Rare Auction—Starting at Just $5," 11 Aug. 2017
Trump’s public destiny has therefor been to disrupt the political and social order, and to upend the house of the establishment.

— rebecca gordon, Harper's BAZAAR, "What the Upcoming Eclipse Means for Donald Trump and His Presidency," 10 Aug. 2017
An avowed libertarian, Thiel was initially excited by Trump’s unorthodox style and willingness to upend the establishment.

— peter thiel, vanityfair.com, "Peter Thiel Sours on Donald Trump," 7 Aug. 2017
But the divorce with the GOP establishment is now official.

— jonathan s. tobin, National Review, "Trump’s Deal with the Establishment Is Over," 31 July 2017
The ruling establishments in both countries find that mutual enmity serves their interests better than friendship would.

— The Economist, "Reconciliation is not impossible, but it will be a long, slow process," 22 July 2017
Mr Macron is certainly brimming with ideas to reform the euro zone as the core of the EU—from a common investment budget to the establishment of a parliament and a finance minister.

— The Economist, "Emmanuel Macron is revitalising the European Union—and dividing it," 20 July 2017
In this Bizarro World, roles, positioning and attitudes have been reversed, in part due to partisanship, but also because the political establishment itself has been ill for some time, the decaying political center continuing its collapse.

— john kass, chicagotribune.com, "America and Russians through the Looking Glass," 12 July 2017

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