grassroots
adjective
grass·roots
ˈgras-ˌrüts 
-ˌru̇ts
variants
or less commonly grassroot
ˈgras-ˌrüt
-ˌru̇t
1
: basic, fundamental
the grassroots factor in deciding to buy a house
2
: being, originating, or operating in or at the grass roots
a grassroots organization
grassroots political support
3
: not adapted from or added to an existing facility or operation : totally new
a grassroots refinery
Examples of grassroots in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Applicants may interpret topics such as climate justice, corporate greenwashing, Indigenous rights, material innovation, wildlife and biodiversity, waste and pollution, grassroots activism, recycling and circularity, and the physical and mental impacts of the climate crisis.
—
Vogue, 6 June 2026
In Ohio, a grassroots group is collecting signatures for a constitutional amendment that would ban large data centers, although advocates face a long road to the ballot.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 June 2026
On the resolutely grassroots side, and with a no-less-impressive local lineup, is the July 23-26 event Blucifer’s Favorite Rodeo, a brand new music-fest that’s filling The UMS hole on South Broadway and elsewhere.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 4 June 2026
In a profound culmination of decades of grassroots advocacy, in 2023 the Blackfeet Nation released a herd of 48 buffalo near Chief Mountain, the first to roam freely on Blackfoot territory in over 150 years.
—The Conversation, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grassroots
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Vogue, 6 June 2026
In Ohio, a grassroots group is collecting signatures for a constitutional amendment that would ban large data centers, although advocates face a long road to the ballot.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 June 2026
On the resolutely grassroots side, and with a no-less-impressive local lineup, is the July 23-26 event Blucifer’s Favorite Rodeo, a brand new music-fest that’s filling The UMS hole on South Broadway and elsewhere.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 4 June 2026
In a profound culmination of decades of grassroots advocacy, in 2023 the Blackfeet Nation released a herd of 48 buffalo near Chief Mountain, the first to roam freely on Blackfoot territory in over 150 years.
—The Conversation, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for grassroots
Cite this Entry
“Grassroots.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grassroots. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
