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

Magellan Jets, an established provider, has a first-flight free promotion running through the end of May. —Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Being a developmental quarterback and going to a spot with an established starter, like the L.A. Rams or Seattle Seahawks, would’ve been an interesting dynamic. —Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Documenting every word exchanged between the prime minister and the Shin Bet director is reportedly an established practice, meant to prevent the abuse of the agency's powers. —Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025

While the play does feel like being tossed into an episode of Stranger Things — complete with a shockingly spooky introduction and a solid mix of high school melodrama and mystery — certain decisions within the second act start to feel rushed as the play clicks into the established canon. —Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 23 Apr. 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