groundwork

noun

ground·​work ˈgrau̇nd-ˌwərk 

: foundation, basis

laid the groundwork for a new program

also : preparation made beforehand

The groundwork was done before the winter tour.

—Susan Reiter

Synonyms of groundwork

• foundation
• basis
• cornerstone
• bedrock

Examples of groundwork in a Sentence

they had collectively laid the groundwork for a new kind of art

Recent Examples on the Web

And while the fruits of those labors may not be realized until later in the winter or in the spring — when free agency and the draft finally arrive — the next few days are crucial for laying groundwork. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson said the gathering was about acknowledging their groundwork. —Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026

While critiques of America’s pernicious gambling culture and hypocritical application to athletes never overwhelm the story (or even develop beyond a few jabs per episode), Season 1 lays the groundwork to delve deeper later on while hitting plenty of targets here and now. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2026

As per Mudesir, quantum teleportation lays the groundwork for linking quantum computers across distances and pooling their computing power. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing groundwork

• lay the groundwork/foundation

Rhymes for groundwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

groundwork

noun

ground·​work ˈgrau̇n-ˌdwərk 

: foundation sense 2, basis