build and establish share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. build means “make by combining materials and parts”. establish means “set up or found”. build is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɪld/
1.v.make by combining materials and parts
“this little pig made his house out of straw”
2.v.form or accumulate steadily
“Resistance to the manager's plan built up quickly”
3.v.build or establish something abstract
“build a reputation”
/ɪˈstæblɪʃ/
1.v.set up or found
“She set up a literacy program”
2.v.set up or lay the groundwork for
“establish a new department”
3.v.establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment
“The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound”
| build | establish | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɪld/ | /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ |
| Said | bild | i-STA-blish |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Letters | 5 | 9 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | verb |
| Senses | 12 | 8 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | construct, make | set up, found, launch |
Full entry for build · Full entry for establish · More comparisons