bedrock

1 of 2

noun

bed·​rock ˈbed-ˈräk How to pronounce bedrock (audio)
-ˌräk
1
: the solid rock underlying unconsolidated surface materials (such as soil)
2
a
: lowest point
b
: basis

bedrock

2 of 2

adjective

bed·​rock ˈbed-ˌräk How to pronounce bedrock (audio)
: solidly fundamental, basic, or reliable
traditional bedrock values
a bedrock constituency

Examples of bedrock in a Sentence

Noun They dug down for 10 feet before they hit bedrock. His religious beliefs are the bedrock on which his life is based.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
American homeowners could see a significant drop in the cost of selling their homes after a real estate trade group agreed to a landmark deal that will eliminate a bedrock of the industry, the standard 6 percent sales commission. Debra Kamin, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The biggest part of that work was the installation of tie-back anchors into the bedrock. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 As your organization embraces these examples and tools, the symbiotic relationship between data and AI becomes the bedrock of strategic risk management. Sal Rehmetullah, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Barton and other Seven Mountains proponents argue that the idea of separation of church and state, regarded by many as a bedrock of American democracy, is a myth invented by progressives based on a misreading of Thomas Jefferson’s famous 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 He’s supposed to be a veteran bedrock of the Rockies’ future. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 9 Feb. 2024 An overwhelming majority of its justices come from an entrenched elite—male, Hindu, and occupying the upper echelons of India’s caste system—a demographic that has traditionally been the bedrock of Hindu nationalism. Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2024 Communication is the bedrock of a healthy and productive work environment. Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Amid spiraling campus speech debates, many professors are rallying in defense of a bedrock principle. Jennifer Schuessler, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024
Adjective
It’s this bedrock principle of modern American life that the court treats with great skepticism. Zachary M. Seward, Quartz, 1 Nov. 2022 The violence suffered by Floyd and so many thousands of other people is horrifying to anyone with a conscience, and arguments for ending this injustice hook directly into bedrock American ideas about liberty and equality. Ryan Cooper, The Week, 24 June 2021 Now, even the bedrock idea of self-determination is endangered in Libya, with foreign powers — not just Libyans — seeking to control the country’s fate. Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2021 People with disabilities know bedrock truths most of us ignore. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 19 May 2020 The American Prairie Reserve’s partial retreat from conservation’s traditional separation of humans and nature—a bedrock principle of conservation for most of the past century—is not just an accommodation. Christopher Preston, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2020 One of our nation’s bedrock environmental laws, NEPA mandates inclusion of the public’s voice and environmental reviews in government decision making. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 26 Mar. 2020 Objective news reporting is built on two bedrock principles: report the truth, and don’t pick sides. Gilad Edelman, Wired, 10 Mar. 2020 Few leagues are rushing to copy those bedrock elements of M.L.S., and that raises the question of whether such an unusually structured league can really hope to join the best in the world, particularly financially. New York Times, 28 Feb. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bedrock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bedrock was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near bedrock

Cite this Entry

“Bedrock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bedrock. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bedrock

noun
bed·​rock
ˈbed-ˌräk
1
: the solid rock lying under surface materials (as soil) that are not in layers
2
: a solid foundation

More from Merriam-Webster on bedrock

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