Found vs. Founded — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 2, 2024
Found is the past tense of 'find', implying discovering something lost or hidden, whereas founded refers to establishing or creating something, like a company.
Difference Between Found and Founded
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Found is primarily used when talking about coming across something that was lost, misplaced, or previously unknown. It emphasizes the action of discovery. On the other hand, founded is used in the context of starting something, such as an institution, organization, or city. It implies a deliberate act of creation or establishment.
When someone says they found something, it usually means they encountered it by chance or through a search. This could relate to physical items, information, or even understanding. Whereas, when someone states they founded something, it suggests a planned and intentional action, often requiring effort, resources, and planning.
The term found often comes up in everyday situations, ranging from finding misplaced keys to discovering a new favorite book. It's about the joy or relief of locating something. Conversely, founded is more formal and is commonly associated with entrepreneurial or exploratory endeavors, symbolizing initiative and innovation.
In historical or legal documents, found might be used to describe the discovery of artifacts, lands, or scientific principles. Whereas founded often appears in business, legal, and historical contexts to denote the start of companies, laws, or settlements, emphasizing a sense of beginning and establishment.
Found can also imply a sense of surprise or unintended discovery, highlighting the unpredictability of what one might come across. Meanwhile, founded reflects purpose, vision, and leadership, showcasing the forethought and direction behind establishing something new.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To discover something lost or hidden
To establish or create something new
Context
Casual, everyday situations
Formal, entrepreneurial, or exploratory endeavors
Implication
Chance, search, or surprise
Planning, effort, and intention
Common Use
Misplaced items, new information
Companies, institutions, cities
Associated Feelings/Actions
Joy, relief, surprise
Initiative, innovation, leadership
Compare with Definitions
Found
Achieving understanding or knowledge.
He found the answer to the problem after hours of research.
Founded
Establishing a new company.
She founded a tech startup last year.
Found
Coming across something lost or hidden.
He finally found the missing piece of the puzzle.
Founded
Laying the first stone of a city or settlement.
The ancient Romans founded many cities across Europe.
Found
Discovering something by chance.
She found a $20 bill on the sidewalk.
Founded
Beginning something with a specific purpose.
He founded the club with the aim of promoting local arts.
Found
Realizing the existence of something.
She found solace in music during tough times.
Founded
Initiating a new project or venture.
They founded a community garden in their neighborhood.
Found
Encountering something unexpectedly.
They found a hidden gem of a restaurant in their neighborhood.
Founded
Creating an institution or organization.
They founded a non-profit to support education.
Found
(transitive) To start (an institution or organization).
Founded
To establish or set up, especially with provision for continuing existence
The college was founded in 1872.
Found
Past and past participle of find
Founded
To establish the foundation or basis of; base
Found a theory on firm evidence.
Found
Establish or originate (an institution or organization)
The monastery was founded in 1665
Founded
To melt (metal) and pour into a mold.
Found
Base (something) on a particular principle, idea, or feeling
A society founded on the highest principles of religion and education
Founded
To make (objects) by pouring molten material into a mold.
Found
Melt and mould (metal).
Founded
Past tense and past participle of find.
Found
Having been discovered by chance or unexpectedly.
Founded
Simple past tense and past participle of found
Found
(of a ship) equipped
The ship was well found and seaworthy
Founded
Simple past tense and past participle of find|lang=en
Found
To establish or set up, especially with provision for continuing existence
The college was founded in 1872.
Founded
To set up; to launch; to institute.
Found
To establish the foundation or basis of; base
Found a theory on firm evidence.
Founded
Having a basis.
She offered a well-founded hypothesis.
Found
To melt (metal) and pour into a mold.
Founded
Based; - often used as combining terms; as, well-founded suspicions.
Found
To make (objects) by pouring molten material into a mold.
Founded
Having a basis; often used as combining terms;
A soundly based argument
Well-founded suspicions
Found
Past tense and past participle of find.
Found
Simple past tense and past participle of find
Found
(transitive) To begin building. en
Found
To melt, especially of metal in an industrial setting.
Found
To form by melting a metal and pouring it into a mould; to cast.
Found
(obsolete) Food and lodging; board.
Found
A thin, single-cut file for comb-makers.
Found
To form by melting a metal, and pouring it into a mold; to cast.
Found
To lay the basis of; to set, or place, as on something solid, for support; to ground; to establish upon a basis, literal or figurative; to fix firmly.
I had else been perfect,Whole as the marble, founded as the rock.
A man that all his timeHath founded his good fortunes on your love.
It fell not, for it was founded on a rock.
Found
To take the ffirst steps or measures in erecting or building up; to furnish the materials for beginning; to begin to raise; to originate; as, to found a college; to found a family.
There they shall foundTheir government, and their great senate choose.
Found
A thin, single-cut file for combmakers.
Found
Food and lodging provided in addition to money;
They worked for $30 and found
Found
Set up or found;
She set up a literacy program
Found
Set up or lay the groundwork for;
Establish a new department
Found
Use as a basis for; found on;
Base a claim on some observation
Found
Come upon unexpectedly or after searching;
Found art
The lost-and-found department
Common Curiosities
Can found and founded be used interchangeably?
No, they have different meanings: found is about discovering, while founded is about establishing.
How do you use found in a sentence?
"I found an old friend through social media."
What does it mean to find something?
To discover or come across something by chance or search.
What does founded mean?
To establish or create something new, like a business or institution.
Is founding a company a one-time action?
Yes, founding refers to the act of establishing a company or organization, which is typically a one-time event.
Are there legal differences between found and founded?
Yes, in legal contexts, found can refer to the discovery of evidence, while founded might relate to the establishment of legal entities.
How do you use founded in a sentence?
"They founded a startup that focuses on renewable energy."
What historical significance does the term founded have?
It often marks the creation of significant entities or movements in history, like the founding of a nation.
What is the difference between finding information and founding a theory?
Finding information involves discovering existing knowledge, while founding a theory involves establishing a new principle or idea.
Can a person be both a finder and founder?
Yes, someone can discover something (a finder) and also establish something new (a founder).
What role does intention play in the difference between found and founded?
Intention is key: found involves less deliberate intent than founded, which is based on planned action.
Can the term found imply discovery of a fact?
Yes, found can also mean realizing or understanding a fact or truth through discovery.
Can only businesses be founded?
No, institutions, cities, and even concepts can also be founded.
Is it correct to say a country was found or founded?
A country is usually said to be founded, especially if the context involves its establishment or independence.
What does it mean to find oneself?
It refers to the process of understanding one’s identity, beliefs, and purpose.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
