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 HoaglandExamples 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
Recent Examples on the Web
Philip Elliott, Time, 2 May 2025
But for everyone else, the problem of food fraud was so prevalent that people developed a suspicion of ground coffee, Blum says.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 1 May 2025
Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
Mid-heist, the remainder of the cast returns, rounded out by Morgan Freeman, who also grounded the original film.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 May 2025
Wire Report, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
The water must be heated to 92° to 95°C (197° to 203°F) and forced (at a specific pressure) through a bed of 7 to 9 grams (about a quarter of an ounce) of finely ground coffee for 20 to 30 seconds.
—Ars Technica, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground
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.
Noun
In 2020, the Koch universe went to ground on the White House race, too, saying their focus was the Senate.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 2 May 2025
But for everyone else, the problem of food fraud was so prevalent that people developed a suspicion of ground coffee, Blum says.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 1 May 2025
Verb
Having a trusted circle that understands the challenges and wins of entrepreneurship keeps me grounded.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
Mid-heist, the remainder of the cast returns, rounded out by Morgan Freeman, who also grounded the original film.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 May 2025
Adjective
Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.
—Wire Report, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
The water must be heated to 92° to 95°C (197° to 203°F) and forced (at a specific pressure) through a bed of 7 to 9 grams (about a quarter of an ounce) of finely ground coffee for 20 to 30 seconds.
—Ars Technica, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground
Cite this Entry
“Ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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