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

By combining affordability, accessibility, and cutting-edge training, that starts with discrete skills and continues through complex systems, the program addresses immediate needs while laying the groundwork for future careers. —Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

He is widely considered to have helped lay the groundwork for Macron’s rise to power in 2017. —Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024

Mostly, the drab-looking, sluggish movie seems to exist to lay groundwork for future installments in which over-qualified actors like DeBose and Hechinger might be given more to do and Kraven’s vigilantism might have a clearer sense of purpose. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Dec. 2024

At the heart of this transformation are companies like Adobe, which helped lay the groundwork for Silicon Slopes’ rise. —Dardan Pula, CNBC, 10 Dec. 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