ground rule

noun

1

: a sports rule adopted to modify play on a particular field, court, or course

2

: a rule of procedure

ground rules for selecting a superintendent

—Amer. School Board Jour.

Synonyms

• rule
• regulation
• code
• law

Examples of ground rule in a Sentence

before the debate begins, let's lay out some ground rules

Recent Examples on the Web

Boston only had two baserunners advance past first base against the Blue Jays starter, once on Roman Anthony’s ground rule double in the first and later in the fifth when Ceddanne Rafaela singled and reached second on David Hamilton’s ensuing walk. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 28 June 2025

Abraham Toro hit a ground rule double and advanced to third in the fourth, but the Red Sox couldn’t get him home either. —Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025

To do so, the team at IO needed to set some important ground rules and methods to follow. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025

The proceedings got a late start today because Judge Arun Subramanian and the lawyers stepped away for a closed-door meeting to hash out ground rules for Jane’s cross-examination. —Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 12 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ground rule

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• preschool
• pustule
• whirlpool

Kids Definition

ground rule

noun

: a rule set up for a specified activity