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

Democrats are laying the groundwork to oppose a photo ID bill Republicans will bring to the Senate floor Thursday, arguing that voting laws are best left to the states or that the legislation before them is too restrictive. —David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026

Still, Trump’s key Middle East envoys are reportedly laying groundwork for potential peace talks, with messages passed between Washington and Tehran via intermediaries. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026

The bill won’t immediately create any new environmental protections for surf spots, but could lay the groundwork for such measures down the road, Irwin said. —Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Donora thus laid the groundwork for the Clean Air Act, the federal air pollution law initially enacted in 1963, then strengthened in 1970 and again in 1990. —Ella Whitman, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 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