groundswell
noun
ground·swell
ˈgrau̇nd-ˌswel 
1
usually ground swell
: a broad deep undulation of the ocean caused by an often distant gale or seismic disturbance
2
: a rapid spontaneous growth (as of political opinion)
a groundswell of support
Examples of groundswell in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, a groundswell of pending projects—for mining, base construction and communication satellites—are on the horizon.
—
Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Not to overstate the groundswell: That means six respondents named her; five chose him.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024
There is no groundswell from privileged people with enormous social capital to get behind Black women.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2024
Gillespie’s measure is part of a groundswell of legislative and voter pushback against reforms initiated over the past four years after the police killings of Black Americans including Nichols, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
—Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024
And Utahns are buying up low-water grass seed and ripping out their lawns in a groundswell of involvement.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb. 2024
Like many of the other authors, King felt rushed to keep up with the groundswell of support for land acknowledgements, and didn’t have the benefit of time to think them through.
—Hazlitt, 17 Jan. 2024
The organizer of the groundswell to save the bakery was small business owner and nurse Danielle Bender, who has been ordering all her cakes from Erika Landi for 12 years — since way back when Landi baked at home with a cottage industry license.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2024
But since then, as different firms have splintered off in new directions, the initial groundswell has tapered too, making the plans even harder to implement.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024
Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Not to overstate the groundswell: That means six respondents named her; five chose him.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2024
There is no groundswell from privileged people with enormous social capital to get behind Black women.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2024
Gillespie’s measure is part of a groundswell of legislative and voter pushback against reforms initiated over the past four years after the police killings of Black Americans including Nichols, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
—Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024
And Utahns are buying up low-water grass seed and ripping out their lawns in a groundswell of involvement.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Feb. 2024
Like many of the other authors, King felt rushed to keep up with the groundswell of support for land acknowledgements, and didn’t have the benefit of time to think them through.
—Hazlitt, 17 Jan. 2024
The organizer of the groundswell to save the bakery was small business owner and nurse Danielle Bender, who has been ordering all her cakes from Erika Landi for 12 years — since way back when Landi baked at home with a cottage industry license.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 9 Jan. 2024
But since then, as different firms have splintered off in new directions, the initial groundswell has tapered too, making the plans even harder to implement.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'groundswell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near groundswell
Cite this Entry
“Groundswell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groundswell. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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