grassroots

1 of 2

adjective

grass·roots ˈgras-ˌrüts

-ˌru̇ts

variants or less commonly grassroot

ˈgras-ˌrüt

-ˌru̇t

: basic, fundamental

the grassroots factor in deciding to buy a house

: being, originating, or operating in or at the grass roots

a grassroots organization

grassroots political support

: not adapted from or added to an existing facility or operation : totally new

a grassroots refinery

grass roots

2 of 2

noun

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

: the very foundation or source

You must attack the problem at the grass roots.

: the basic level of society or of an organization especially as viewed in relation to higher or more centralized positions of power

was losing touch with the party's grass roots

Examples of grassroots in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Adjective

Even for non-players, it’s also garnered a massive audience of passionate onlookers — from the grassroots community of the Japanese arcade scene to its huge impact on Twitch, where its appearance at the 2024 Evolution Championship Series (Evo, for short) pulled in over 270,000 viewers. —

Veerender Jubbal, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025 A number of influential activists have given up their grassroots work to focus on getting elected and changing water governance through institutions. —

Sammy Feldblum, The Dial, 30 Jan. 2025

Noun

The grass roots opposition that put hundreds of thousands of people in the streets of Washington to protest Mr. Trump just a day after he was sworn in back in 2017 generated a fraction of that in their sequel on Saturday. —

Peter Baker, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2025 The juvenile cicadas quickly get underneath the soil and feed on grass roots. —

Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for grassroots