Word Explorer
Children's
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
Intermediate Dictionary
       

es·tab·lish

establish

 
 
pronunciation:
ih stae blihsh
features:
Word History, Word Explorer, Word Parts
part of speech: verb
inflections: establishes, establishing, established
definition 1: to successfully start or make something that did not exist before.
His grandfather established the business many decades ago.Her new book established her reputation as a great writer of fiction.
synonyms:
begin, create, form, found, initiate, institute, organize, originate, start
antonyms:
abolish, dissolve, do away with, lift, revoke, tear down
similar words:
construct, design, develop, ground, impose, inaugurate, install, open, pitch, plan, root, secure, set
definition 2: to prove or show to be true.
The lawyer established the suspect's guilt.
synonyms:
confirm, demonstrate, prove, verify
antonyms:
disprove
similar words:
affirm, base, justify, show, support, sustain, uphold, warrant
Word History
Establish is from a Latin word that means "to make firm." The word stable goes back to the same Latin roots.
Word Explorer
See
  tradition
Word PartsSubscriber feature About this feature