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
The move came out of the groundswell of racial justice movements in 2020 after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
—
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
The case led to a groundswell of similar suits brought by major and independent labels.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Sean Gallup/Getty Images Beyond Levi's, other household names have recently expressed concern at this groundswell of anti-Americanism.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
YoungBoy Never Broke Again helped make a terminally ill child’s dream come true by collaborating with him on his first official musical release, which has since gone viral amid a groundswell of support.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for groundswell
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.
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
The case led to a groundswell of similar suits brought by major and independent labels.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
Sean Gallup/Getty Images Beyond Levi's, other household names have recently expressed concern at this groundswell of anti-Americanism.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
YoungBoy Never Broke Again helped make a terminally ill child’s dream come true by collaborating with him on his first official musical release, which has since gone viral amid a groundswell of support.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for groundswell
Cite this Entry
“Groundswell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groundswell. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share