plural grounds
1
a
: the surface of a planet (such as the earth or Mars)
especially
: the surface of the earth or a particular part of it sometimes as contrasted with the air or sea
She sat down on the ground.
a patch of uneven ground
One person was flown by helicopter and another transported by ground … —
Larry Delkinski
—often used before another noun Larry Delkinski the cost of ground transportation
the airport's ground crew
sent in ground troops
the country's ground forces
fighting a ground war
b
: an area used for a particular purpose
a grassy picnic ground
fishing grounds
c
grounds plural
: the area around and belonging to a house or other building
We toured the grounds of the estate.
d
: an area of knowledge or special interest
He covered a lot of ground in his lecture.
e
: an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle see also proving ground
2
3
a
: the bottom of a body of water
The boat struck ground.
b
grounds plural
(1)
: ground coffee beans after brewing
(2)
4
a
: a basis for belief, action, or argument
ground for complaint
—often used in pluralsufficient grounds for divorce
see also common ground, middle ground, high ground
b(1)
: a fundamental logical condition
(2)
: a basic metaphysical (see metaphysical sense 2) cause
5
a
: an object (such as one made of a wire or metal) that makes an electrical connection with the earth
b
: a large conducting body (such as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit and as an arbitrary zero of potential
c
: electric connection with a ground
6
a
: a surrounding area : background
wallpaper with black diamonds on a white ground
b
: material that serves as a substratum
7
: a football offense utilizing primarily running plays
grounded; grounding; grounds
1
a
: to provide a reason or justification for
our fears about technological change may be well grounded—L. K. Williams
L. K. Williams
b
: to furnish with a foundation of knowledge : base
an understanding … that is grounded in fact—Michael Kimmelman
Michael Kimmelman2
a
: to cause to run aground
b
: to bring to or place on the ground
3
a
: to restrict to the ground
ground a pilot
b
: to prohibit from taking part in some usual activities
grounded her for a week
4
: to connect electrically with a ground
5
: to throw (a football) intentionally to the ground to avoid being tackled for a loss
: reduced to small pieces or a powder by a grinding process
ground beef
ground coffee beans
ground
4 of 4past tense and past participle of grind
Phrases
from the ground up
1
: entirely new or afresh
The car has been redesigned from the ground up.
2
: from the very beginning : thoroughly
built the resort from the ground up
: beyond what is necessary or tolerable : to exhaustion
labored an issue into the ground—Newsweek
Newsweek
: in or as if in flight : off to a good start
the program never got off the ground
: at the scene of action
1
: into a burrow
the fox went to ground
2
: into hiding
… might need to make a run for it and go to ground someplace …—Edward Hoagland
Edward Hoagland
Synonyms
Examples of ground in a Sentence
Noun
An apple fell to the ground.
Mechanical problems kept the plane on the ground.
They were lying on the ground.
The flight was watched by many observers on the ground.
planting seeds in the ground
She drove a spike into the ground.
They built their house on bare ground.
We realized that we were on hallowed ground.
They built their house on high ground.
Each fall the birds return to their wintering grounds.
Verb
They grounded the ship on a sandbar.
The plane was grounded by mechanical problems.
Bad weather grounded his flight.
a pilot grounded by health problems
See More
Recent Examples on the WebSean Hanlon, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Fellow Chinstrap Penguins can also destroy or dislodge one another’s eggs as the new parents jostle for space on the overcrowded nesting ground.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 30 Nov. 2023
Beneath that ground is a mine that has been stagnant since the 1980s and is believed to contain one of the nation’s largest deposits of lithium, a critical ingredient in the batteries needed to power electric vehicles.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
The whiskey was charcoal mellowed before entering barrels, aka the Lincoln County process during which the new make spirit is filtered through ten feet of hard sugar maple charcoal made on the distillery grounds.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023
To facilitate these foraging expeditions, a diving duck’s legs are positioned farther to the rear of their body than would be a dabbler’s, whose mid-body legs make walking on dry, soggy ground much easier and less clumsy.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023
Keep an eye out for patches of ground that look starkly flat and unusually barren of flora — almost like multiple people have pitched tents there and then laid down all night.
—Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023
Or the smothered ground game, which managed a mere three yards, its worst total since 2018.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023
Israel has said hospitals in northern Gaza were a key target of its ground offensive, claiming they were used as militant command centers and weapons depots, which both Hamas and medical staff deny.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Nov. 2023
Arata Yamamoto, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2023
But untold numbers of travelers have also been impacted by the unauthorized presence of drones temporarily grounding commercial aircraft—even shutting down airports worldwide.
—Jeff Wong, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Be grounded enough to put a few eggs in the defensive basket, as well.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2023
The world’s largest iceberg, which had been grounded on the seafloor since the mid-1980s, is moving away from Antarctica and picking up speed, reports BBC News’ Jonathan Amos.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023
City guidelines generally call for the giant balloons to be grounded if there are sustained winds above 23 miles per hour, or if gusts exceed 34 m.p.h.
—Winnie Hu Emma Rose Milligan, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Instead, taking a moment to gradually awaken, grounding yourself and evaluating feelings and daily goals may require a musical track mirroring your specific moment.
—Gen Cleary, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2023
In the aftermath, Cruise grounded its entire fleet of robotaxis to earn the public’s trust again.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023
Lawrence, who directed several prior films in the franchise, wanted to ensure the action in the ornate Capitol and gritty District 12 felt grounded.
—Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Nov. 2023
Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 15 Nov. 2023
Both the freshly ground and pre-ground beans produced a solidly delicious cup of coffee.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023
Add the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt, and pulse until the nuts are very finely ground.
—Genevieve Ko, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Nov. 2023
Eighty percent of households in Britain still buy instant coffee for in-home consumption, particularly among people 65 and older, according to the British Coffee Association, though ground coffee and pods are rising in popularity, particularly among younger generations.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2023
For matcha devotees Japanese tea ceremonies use matcha, a high-quality green tea that is finely ground into powder then whisked into hot water, rather than steeped.
—Sarah Rose, wsj.com, 2 Nov. 2023
The filling is usually ground lamb or beef or a combination, mixed with spices and very finely diced – or coarsely shredded – onions and tomatoes.
—Reem Kassis, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Each calendar comes with a dozen 1.8-ounce bags—choose between either whole bean of freshly ground coffee.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2023
Rub both sides of the steak with a little olive oil, then generously season it all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Oct. 2023
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Noun
Now that the market has recovered the lost ground, investors are wondering whether the momentum can carry through the year-end and break out to new highs.
—Sean Hanlon, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Fellow Chinstrap Penguins can also destroy or dislodge one another’s eggs as the new parents jostle for space on the overcrowded nesting ground.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 30 Nov. 2023
Beneath that ground is a mine that has been stagnant since the 1980s and is believed to contain one of the nation’s largest deposits of lithium, a critical ingredient in the batteries needed to power electric vehicles.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2023
The whiskey was charcoal mellowed before entering barrels, aka the Lincoln County process during which the new make spirit is filtered through ten feet of hard sugar maple charcoal made on the distillery grounds.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023
To facilitate these foraging expeditions, a diving duck’s legs are positioned farther to the rear of their body than would be a dabbler’s, whose mid-body legs make walking on dry, soggy ground much easier and less clumsy.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023
Keep an eye out for patches of ground that look starkly flat and unusually barren of flora — almost like multiple people have pitched tents there and then laid down all night.
—Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023
Or the smothered ground game, which managed a mere three yards, its worst total since 2018.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023
Israel has said hospitals in northern Gaza were a key target of its ground offensive, claiming they were used as militant command centers and weapons depots, which both Hamas and medical staff deny.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Nov. 2023
Verb
Japan grounds its own Osprey aircraft following deadly US crash
Nov. 30, 202300:28
The U.S. Embassy in Japan did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Friday.
—Arata Yamamoto, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2023
But untold numbers of travelers have also been impacted by the unauthorized presence of drones temporarily grounding commercial aircraft—even shutting down airports worldwide.
—Jeff Wong, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Be grounded enough to put a few eggs in the defensive basket, as well.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2023
The world’s largest iceberg, which had been grounded on the seafloor since the mid-1980s, is moving away from Antarctica and picking up speed, reports BBC News’ Jonathan Amos.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023
City guidelines generally call for the giant balloons to be grounded if there are sustained winds above 23 miles per hour, or if gusts exceed 34 m.p.h.
—Winnie Hu Emma Rose Milligan, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Instead, taking a moment to gradually awaken, grounding yourself and evaluating feelings and daily goals may require a musical track mirroring your specific moment.
—Gen Cleary, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2023
In the aftermath, Cruise grounded its entire fleet of robotaxis to earn the public’s trust again.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023
Lawrence, who directed several prior films in the franchise, wanted to ensure the action in the ornate Capitol and gritty District 12 felt grounded.
—Emily Zemler, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Nov. 2023
Adjective
For example, try seasoning your food with garlic, ground black pepper, lemon juice or zest, balsamic vinegar, truffle oil, paprika, onions, and various herbs and spices, such as rosemary, thyme, cumin, turmeric, oregano, cumin, mint, and basil.
—Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 15 Nov. 2023
Both the freshly ground and pre-ground beans produced a solidly delicious cup of coffee.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023
Add the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt, and pulse until the nuts are very finely ground.
—Genevieve Ko, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Nov. 2023
Eighty percent of households in Britain still buy instant coffee for in-home consumption, particularly among people 65 and older, according to the British Coffee Association, though ground coffee and pods are rising in popularity, particularly among younger generations.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2023
For matcha devotees Japanese tea ceremonies use matcha, a high-quality green tea that is finely ground into powder then whisked into hot water, rather than steeped.
—Sarah Rose, wsj.com, 2 Nov. 2023
The filling is usually ground lamb or beef or a combination, mixed with spices and very finely diced – or coarsely shredded – onions and tomatoes.
—Reem Kassis, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Each calendar comes with a dozen 1.8-ounce bags—choose between either whole bean of freshly ground coffee.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2023
Rub both sides of the steak with a little olive oil, then generously season it all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ground.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Old English grund; akin to Old High German grunt ground
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b
Adjective
1765, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of ground was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing ground
Articles Related to ground
Dictionary Entries Near ground
Cite this Entry
“Ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
ground
1 of 3 noun1
a
: the bottom of a body of water
the boat struck ground
b
plural
: sediment sense 1, lees
2
: basis, foundation
grounds for divorce
3
: a surrounding area : background
a picture on a gray ground
4
a
: the surface of the earth
b
: an area used for a particular purpose
the parade ground
fishing grounds
c
plural
: the area around and belonging to a building
6
: an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle
gaining ground on the other runners
7
a
: an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth
b
: a large conducting body (as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit
ground
2 of 3 verb1
: to bring to or place on the ground
2
a
: to provide a reason for
b
: to instruct in fundamentals
well grounded in mathematics
3
: to connect electrically with a ground
4
a
: to restrict to the ground
ground a pilot
b
: to prohibit from taking part in some usual activities
grounded her for a week
5
: to run aground
the ship grounded on a reef
6
: to hit a ground ball
grounded to the shortstop
ground
3 of 3past and past participle of grind
Medical Definition
ground
past and past part of grind
Legal Definition
ground
1 of 2 noun1
: the foundation or basis on which knowledge, belief, or conviction rests : a premise, reason, or collection of data upon which something (as a legal action or argument) relies for validity
sued the city on the ground that the city…had wrongfully released…records—City of Lawton v. Moore, 868 P.2d 690 (1993)
City of Lawton v. Moore, 868 P.2d 690 (1993)listed adultery and alcoholism as the grounds for divorce
2
: a piece or parcel of land
the design being to create high ground for use during overflow periods—Bright v. Perkins, 239 S.W.2d 281 (1951)
Bright v. Perkins, 239 S.W.2d 281 (1951)a sudden disruption of a piece of ground from one man's land—Porter v. Arkansas Western Gas Co., 482 S.W.2d 598 (1972)
Porter v. Arkansas Western Gas Co., 482 S.W.2d 598 (1972)
groundless
adjective
groundlessly
adverb
groundlessness
noun
ground
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to furnish a ground for : set on a basis
that court grounded the disclosure requirement in negligence law—Scott v. Bradford, 606 P.2d 554 (1979)
Scott v. Bradford, 606 P.2d 554 (1979)an argument grounded on falsehoods
More from Merriam-Webster on ground
Nglish: Translation of ground for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ground for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ground
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