Meaning & use
established fact
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Meaning
nouncountable
A piece of information that is accepted as true because it has been proved or widely confirmed.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an established fact' or 'established facts'. Often used in the phrase 'it is an established fact that...'.
Patterns
- an established fact
- it is an established fact that ...
- treat something as an established fact
It is an established fact that regular exercise lowers blood pressure.
The report treats the warming of the oceans as an established fact.
She challenged what everyone else called an established fact.
Word forms
| plural | established facts |
|---|
Common combinations
- treat something as an established fact
- The court did not treat the rumor as an established fact.
- an established fact that
- It is an established fact that the earth orbits the sun.
- widely established fact
- That the climate is changing is now a widely established fact.
- accept something as an established fact
- Many people accept the claim as an established fact without checking it.
Synonyms and how they differ
- certainty
- A certainty is something you feel sure about; an established fact is supported by proof or general agreement.
- truth
- Truth is broader and can be personal or philosophical; an established fact is specifically verified and accepted.
Opposites
Word family
- establish verb
- To prove or show something clearly.
- establishment noun
- The act of starting something or proving something.
Commonly confused: established fact or fact?
established fact vs fact
A fact is simply something true; an established fact adds the idea that it has been confirmed or accepted.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses 'established fact' correctly.
Choose one answer.
Only option A uses 'established fact' as a noun meaning a confirmed truth. B confuses it with the verb 'establish' (to arrange). C treats it as a person. D is nonsense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “established fact”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.