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

• foundation
• basis
• cornerstone
• bedrock

Examples of groundwork in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Developers are laying the groundwork, and users can take immediate steps to secure assets. —Leeor Shimron, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

The president is instead laying the groundwork to pin the blame on his congressional opponents. —Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 28 June 2025

Lutnick echoed von der Leyen's comments in the Thursday Bloomberg TV interview, saying that the EU had picked up the pace of the negotiations in recent weeks, laying out the groundwork for an accord. —Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025

By Monday, the federal government had approved the plans to build the project, and soon after trucks were bringing in portable restrooms, tents and industrial generators into the area — laying the groundwork for days of around-the-clock construction. —Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 28 June 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