the establishment

noun

: the part of a particular group that has power or control
His novels were disliked by the literary establishment.
the medical establishment

Examples of the establishment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank have surged in recent years, particularly after the establishment of Israel's current hard-right government in late 2022, according to statistics released by the United Nations humanitarian office. — Dov Lieber, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Research has consistently shown the value of boundaries and the establishment of work-life balance. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Since 1980, Phyllis Sague and her son, Mike, have owned and operated the establishment, which remains open for business. — Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 The same pattern is evident in the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the 1960s and 1970s, which culminated in the establishment of Islamic regimes and the spread of Islamist extremism. — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the establishment

Rhymes for the establishment

See All Rhymes for the establishment

Browse Nearby Words

the error of one's ways
the establishment
the ether
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The establishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20establishment. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All