How to pronounce establish
Say it like ih-STAB-lish. Establish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STAB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce establish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ih
- STAB
- lish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Establish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- STABSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- lishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of establish
American and British speakers say establish in essentially the same way: /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ in the US and /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: ih-STAB-lish.
What does establish mean?
- set up or found“She set up a literacy program”
- set up or lay the groundwork for“establish a new department”
- establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment“The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound”“The mathematician showed the validity of the conjecture”
Where does establish come from?
Inherited from Middle English establissen, from Old French establiss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of establir (modern French établir), from Latin stabiliō, stabilīre, from stabilis (“firm, steady, stable”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying establish
How do you pronounce establish?
Say ih-STAB-lish. The American pronunciation is /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/. In British English it is /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in establish?
Establish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STAB). Broken into parts: ih · STAB · lish.
Do Americans and Brits say establish the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ and the British form is /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.