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

Sales in established pharmaceutical — its generic pharmaceutical products business that only operates internationally — were up 8.5% organically versus the year-ago period. —CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025

His family carried on that legacy after his death in 2004, and the property lived on as a sort of outdoor museum featuring artwork by established and new artists alike. —Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025

The association between alcohol and cancer is well established, and many doctors have long called on the federal government to make the connection clearer to the public. —Aria Bendix, NBC News, 4 Jan. 2025

For established companies, maintaining relevance and leveraging current opportunities is important. —Parna Sarkar-Basu, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing established

• established church
• established order
• pre-established