gegründet

Definition & meaning

gegründet is the past participle of gründen ↗ and usually means:

1. founded / established / set up
   Used for organizations, companies, institutions, cities, or movements that were created.

   • Die Firma wurde 1998 gegründet. — “The company was founded in 1998.”
   • Berlin wurde im 13. Jahrhundert gegründet. — “Berlin was founded in the 13th century.”

2. based / founded on
   In the expression auf etwas gegründet sein, it means that something is based on a particular principle, fact, or foundation.

   • Die Entscheidung ist auf soliden Fakten gegründet. — “The decision is based on solid facts.”

It can also function as an adjective:

• eine gut gegründete Organisation — “a well-established organization”

Grammar & word origin

gegründet is the past participle (Partizip II) of the regular verb gründen ↗.

• Infinitive: gründen ↗
• Present: er gründet — “he founds / establishes”
• Simple past: er gründete — “he founded”
• Past participle: gegründet — “founded”

It is formed with the prefix ge- and the ending -et, because gründen is a regular verb ending in -en with a stem ending in -d.

The verb is related to Grund ↗, meaning “ground,” “basis,” or “reason.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

• ins Leben gerufen [​?](vocabuo://word/ins Leben rufen) — “brought into existence”; emphasizes the act of creating something, often a project, initiative, or movement.
• etabliert ↗ — “established”; often emphasizes that something is already recognized, stable, or successful, rather than merely created.
• errichtet ↗ — “erected” or “constructed”; mainly used for buildings, monuments, or physical structures.
• gestiftet ↗ — “founded” or “endowed”; commonly used for foundations, prizes, charities, or institutions created through a donation.

Antonyms

• aufgelöst ↗ — “dissolved” or “disbanded”; used for organizations or groups that have officially ceased to exist.
• abgeschafft ↗ — “abolished”; used for laws, systems, or institutions that have been officially ended.
• zerstört ↗ — “destroyed”; refers mainly to physical structures, not simply to the ending of an organization.

Common phrases & collocations

• eine Firma gegründet haben [​?](vocabuo://word/eine Firma gegründet haben) — to have founded a company
• eine Organisation gründen [​?](vocabuo://word/eine Organisation gründen) — to found an organization
• im Jahr 2000 gegründet [​?](vocabuo://word/im Jahr 2000 gegründet) — founded in the year 2000
• von jemandem gegründet [​?](vocabuo://word/von jemandem gegründet) — founded by someone
• auf Vertrauen gegründet [​?](vocabuo://word/auf Vertrauen gegründet) — based on trust
• fest gegründet [​?](vocabuo://word/fest gegründet) — firmly established or firmly based