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

Holly took three significant lessons from her years in healthcare consulting and used them to lay the groundwork for Sapphire and Salt’s mission: The U.S. population is continuously less healthy, with chronic preventable diseases increasing. —Jennifer Pierce, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025

This feat would change the course of science history, laying the groundwork for the Standard Model, the reigning paradigm of particle physics. —Lee Billings, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2025

The Senate approval of the fiscal framework lays the groundwork for a major tax and spending bill to implement Trump's policies, though this could run into trouble due to the concern of some House Republicans over U.S. debt levels. —John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025

Ecuador’s government is currently laying groundwork for US forces to arrive, according to plans obtained by CNN. —Abel Alvarado, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing groundwork

• lay the groundwork/foundation

Rhymes for groundwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

groundwork

noun

ground·​work ˈgrau̇n-ˌdwərk 

: foundation sense 2, basis