groundwork

noun

ground·​work ˈgrau̇nd-ˌwərk 

: foundation, basis

laid the groundwork for a new program

also : preparation made beforehand

the groundwork was done before the winter tour

—Susan Reiter

Synonyms

• base
• basis
• bedrock
• bottom
• cornerstone
• footing
• foundation
• ground
• keystone
• root
• underpinning
• warp
• warp and woof

Examples of groundwork in a Sentence

they had collectively laid the groundwork for a new kind of art

Recent Examples on the Web

Retailers have a unique opportunity this holiday shopping season to drive sales while laying the groundwork for long-term growth by making digital accessibility a priority. —David Moradi, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

If anything, Menon adds, the furore over Labour members campaigning may have less to do with genuine concerns of foreign interference and more to do with the Trump campaign’s desire to lay the groundwork for future legal complaints should their candidate come up short. —Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024

During the earnings call, Tesla executives described certain functions in the current Tesla app, like profile sharing and synchronizing settings across different vehicles, as laying the groundwork for an eventual robotaxi service. —Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2024

These films, and Texas Chain Saw, laid the groundwork for the slasher boom to come. —Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing groundwork

• lay the groundwork/foundation

Kids Definition

groundwork

noun

ground·​work ˈgrau̇n-ˌdwərk 

: foundation sense 2, basis