Founded — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /ˈwel-ˈfau̇n-dəd/ (adjective) /ˌkō-ˈfau̇nd/ (verb)

Meaning & Definition of Founded

Founded (verb)

  1. to take the first steps in building
  2. to set or ground on something solid, base
  3. to establish (something) often with provision for future maintenance
  4. to melt (a material, such as metal) and pour into a mold
  5. to join one or more others in founding (something, such as an organization or institution), to found (something) jointly

Founded (adjective)

  1. based on excellent reasoning, information, judgment, or grounds

Founded (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of

    "John Harvard did not actually found the university that now bears his name"

    similar: began, constituted, established, inaugurated, initiated, innovated, instituted, introduced, launched, pioneered, planted, set up, started
    related: authored, fathered, originated, conceived, concocted, contrived, cooked (up), created, devised, fabricated, invented, made up, manufactured, produced, thought (up), constructed, put up, developed, enlarged, expanded, endowed, financed, funded, subsidized, arranged, organized, systematized, systemized, refounded, reinitiated, reinstituted, relaunched
    opposite: closed (down), phased out, shut (up)
    near: abolished, annihilated, annulled, nullified, ended, finished, halted, stopped, terminated, rounded (off or out), wound up, wrapped up

Related Entry: Found (verb)

Found is a different word from Founded. The synonyms below are for found, not for founded.

  1. to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of

    "John Harvard did not actually found the university that now bears his name"

    similar: begin, constitute, establish, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up, start
    related: author, father, originate, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), create, devise, fabricate, invent, make up, manufacture, produce, think (up), construct, put up, develop, enlarge, expand, endow, finance, fund, subsidize, arrange, organize, systematize, systemize, refound, reinitiate, reinstitute, relaunch
    opposite: close (down), phase out, shut (up)
    near: abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify, end, finish, halt, stop, terminate, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up

Related Entry: Well-founded (adjective)

Well-founded is a different word from Founded. The synonyms below are for well-founded, not for founded.

  1. according to the rules of logic

    "even a well-founded argument can lead to an erroneous conclusion if one of the premises is incorrect"

    similar: analytic, coherent, consequent, good, logical, rational, reasonable, sensible, sound, valid, well-grounded
    related: a posteriori, a priori, syllogistic, cognitive, empirical, defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, sustainable, tenable
    opposite: illegitimate, illogical, incoherent, inconsequent, inconsequential, invalid, irrational, unreasonable, unsound, weak
    near: casuistic, eristic, fallacious, misleading, sophistic, specious, unarticulated, unscientific, absurd, cockeyed, crazy, daffy, fatuous, half-baked, half-witted, harebrained, insane, loony, mad, nonsensical, nutty, preposterous, simpleminded, stupid, weak-minded, witless, senseless, thoughtless, uncompelling, unconvincing

  2. based on sound reasoning or information

    "a well-founded complaint about the business's treatment of its customers"

    similar: commonsense, commonsensible, commonsensical, firm, good, hard, informed, just, justified, levelheaded, logical, rational, reasonable, reasoned, sensible, sober, solid, valid
    related: actual, real, true, certain, sure, certified, validated, verified, confirmed, corroborated, substantiated, cogent, convincing, colorable, credible, plausible
    opposite: groundless, illogical, invalid, irrational, nonrational, nonsensical, nonvalid, unfounded, uninformed, unjustified, unreasonable, unreasoned, unsound
    near: unsubstantiated, unsupported, unwarranted, flimsy, implausible, unconvincing, weak, fallacious, false, misguided, misled

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Founded

The most common words with a similar meaning to Founded:

began, constituted, established, inaugurated, initiated, innovated, instituted, introduced, launched, pioneered, planted, set up, started

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Founded

Words with the opposite meaning of Founded:

closed (down), phased out, shut (up)

Related Words for Founded

authored, fathered, originated, conceived, concocted, contrived, cooked (up), created, devised, fabricated, invented, made up, manufactured, produced, thought (up), constructed, put up, developed, enlarged, expanded, endowed, financed, funded, subsidized, arranged, organized, systematized, systemized, refounded, reinitiated

Near Antonyms of Founded

abolished, annihilated, annulled, nullified, ended, finished, halted, stopped, terminated, rounded (off or out), wound up, wrapped up

Word Forms of Founded

Inflections: founding, founds, cofounded, co-founded, cofounding, co-founding

Derived words: cofounder (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Founded

Middle English founden, borrowed from Anglo-French fonder, funder, going back to Latin fundāre, derivative of fundus "bottom, base, foundation" bottom:1

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Founded

Words & Phrases Containing Founded

well-founded

Frequently Asked Questions about Founded

What does "Founded" mean?

"Founded" means to take the first steps in building. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to take the first steps in building.

What is another word for "Founded"?

Other words for "Founded" include began, constituted, established, inaugurated, initiated, innovated, instituted and introduced. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Founded" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Founded"?

There are 45 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Founded". Common alternatives include began, constituted, established, inaugurated, initiated, innovated, instituted, introduced, launched and pioneered.

What is the opposite of "Founded"?

Antonyms of "Founded" include closed (down), phased out and shut (up). Near antonyms include abolished, annihilated, annulled and nullified.

How do you use "Founded" in a sentence?

Examples of "Founded" in a sentence: "John Harvard did not actually found the university that now bears his name".

Is "Founded" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Founded" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Founded" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Founded"?

"Founded" is pronounced /ˈwel-ˈfau̇n-dəd/ as an adjective and /ˌkō-ˈfau̇nd/ as a verb.