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

Along with its big $225 million production budget, the film has the responsibility of launching a new on-screen universe for DC Comics characters, laying the groundwork for what could potentially be many more lucrative years of superhero blockbusters. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 12 July 2025

The Phillies have the groundwork in place for their high school prospects. —Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 11 July 2025

Big Blue took the lead for good on a mini-fade from Eli Manning to Plaxico Burress that put the G-Men ahead by a 17-14 margin, but the groundwork for one of the greatest upsets in NFL history came weeks earlier and at a practice just days before the game. —Geoffrey Knox, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025

The first part of this post focused on the groundwork of preparing for the press conference itself. —Adrian Dearnell, Forbes.com, 10 July 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