Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

establish

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of establish

1 to gain full recognition or acceptance of
  • a first novel that established him as one of the most promising writers of his generation
Synonyms of establish

demonstrate, prove, show, substantiate
Words Related to establish

attest, authenticate, bear out, document, evidence, support, sustain, uphold

confirm, corroborate, justify, validate, verify
Near Antonyms of establish

confute, discredit, invalidate, rebut, refute
Antonyms of establish

disprove
2 to show the existence or truth of by evidence
  • the developers havenʼt established that thereʼs a need for another shopping center in town
Synonyms of establish

demonstrate, document, prove, substantiate, validate
Words Related to establish

back (up), buttress, circumstantiate, corroborate

evidence, evince, record, support, uphold, witness

adduce, attest, authenticate, certify, identify

confirm, sustain, verify, vouch

clinch, nail, settle

confess, depose, testify
Near Antonyms of establish

challenge, dispute, object

allege, assume, conjecture, guess, presume, surmise, suspect
Antonyms of establish

disprove, rebut, refute
3 to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
  • established the first school for the education of Native Americans
Synonyms of establish

begin, constitute, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up, start
Words Related to establish

author, father, originate

conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), create, devise, fabricate, invent, make up, manufacture, produce, think (up)

construct, put up

develop, enlarge, expand

endow, finance, fund, subsidize

arrange, organize, systematize, systemize

refound, reinitiate, reinstitute, relaunch
Near Antonyms of establish

abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify

end, finish, halt, stop, terminate

round (off or out), wind up, wrap up
Antonyms of establish

close (down), phase out, shut (up)

Learn More about establish

  1. Dictionary: Definition of establish Spanish Central: Translation of establish Nglish: Translation of establish for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of establish for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up establish? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

hoopla

excited commotion or publicity

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. crosshair Roger Stone posts controversial photo

  2. feckless Former RNC chair derides Trump

  3. emergency, national emergency Trump declares crisis over wall

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games