established
Americanadjective
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founded, built, or brought into existence.
The organization is getting ready to announce the first recipient of a newly established award recognizing outstanding service to the community.
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settled or installed relatively permanently in a position, place, business, etc..
The resort is a long established vacation destination with a strong reputation for delivering high-quality personal service to their guests.
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proven valid or true.
Knowledge about the venom of the spider that bit her is sparse, and there is no established treatment for it.
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accepted or recognized.
More recent research, however, contradicts the established narrative.
Experimental psychology is an established field with a long history of research involving humans.
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firm or settled in habit or condition.
Her established dislike of poetry meant she rarely received it for review.
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brought about, appointed, enacted, or ordained.
Requirements include being covered by federally established health insurance, such as Medicare or Medicaid.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of established
First recorded in 1350–1400; establish ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; establish ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
Explanation
Something or someone well established is well known, totally trusted and usually has a proven track record of success. Becoming established doesn't happen overnight. You've got to put in the time and effort to prove yourself, make connections and build a good reputation. So it makes sense that this adjective is related to the verb establish, which means to "create, set up, or prove." Established is a handy word to know, especially when you're looking for a dentist — you probably won't want to try Dr. Lovedrill until his practice is more established.
Vocabulary lists containing established
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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"Marketing to kids gets more savvy with new technologies"
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"The Declaration of Independence" by Thomas Jefferson
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The lawyers said her role was to "ensure the club's established and robust safeguarding structures, procedures and necessary confidentialities were followed and respected throughout".
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
The lawsuit lists the federal government as a defendant because the Kennedy Center was established by Congress.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
And an engaging dynamic—the one adopted from the Franco-Belgian series “Astrid et Raphaëlle”—was established.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
The state would already reap its share through established corporate taxes, he argued.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
He established a tradition that after a successful mission, each squadron would fly home together at a low height in an air-show formation.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
