lay the groundwork/foundation
idiom
: to provide the right conditions
We are laying the groundwork/foundation for additional research.
Examples of lay the groundwork/foundation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Surely looking to build on 2024 season’s momentum and lay the groundwork for a future Pac-12 media deal, playing each other twice in 2025 is a strategic move that not only elevates their strength of schedule but also positions them for improved viewership and value in a competitive landscape.
—
Giovanni Malloy, 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
On the contrary, it is meant to lay the foundation for the very diplomatic outcome that Netanyahu depicts in his Blessing map; a coalition of Israel and U.S.-supported Arab states whose aim is to both confront Iranian regional power and displace Hamas.
—Bernard Avishai, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
This exciting first case helps lay the groundwork to push whole-eye transplant into a vision-restoring reality, Goldberg says.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay the groundwork/foundation 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Giovanni Malloy, 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
On the contrary, it is meant to lay the foundation for the very diplomatic outcome that Netanyahu depicts in his Blessing map; a coalition of Israel and U.S.-supported Arab states whose aim is to both confront Iranian regional power and displace Hamas.
—Bernard Avishai, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024
This exciting first case helps lay the groundwork to push whole-eye transplant into a vision-restoring reality, Goldberg says.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay the groundwork/foundation
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Dictionary Entries Near lay the groundwork/foundation
Cite this Entry
“Lay the groundwork/foundation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%20the%20groundwork%2Ffoundation. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share