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 of groundwork

• 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

Thank you @cyndilauper for laying the groundwork for artists like me to thrive. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2025

Reuters wrote on October 30 that OpenAI was laying the groundwork for an an initial public offering in the latter half of 2026, citing people familiar with the matter. —Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025

The collection spans from World War II's V-1 flying bomb missile and V-2 rocket, which laid the groundwork for space travel, through Cold War spacecraft such as the Gemini 10, Liberty Bell 7, and a Soviet Vostok capsule. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025

Deadline hears that Sky has been laying the groundwork for this moment for some time. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 Nov. 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