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

Pitt, who laid the groundwork for the modern Tory Party, introduced suffrage bills several years in a row. —Danielle Allen, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026

By the time legal exposure becomes visible, the groundwork has often already been laid. —William Phillips, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

But the simplest path to Universal Basic Vitality is an oligarch tax on individuals like Musk and companies like Meta to lay the groundwork for economic livelihood in the AI age. —Alexander Heffner, Mercury News, 20 May 2026

And the charges lay the groundwork for a possible military operation by the US to extradite him – as took place with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, a close ally to Cuba. —Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 20 May 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