ground rule

noun

1
: a sports rule adopted to modify play on a particular field, court, or course
2
: a rule of procedure
ground rules for selecting a superintendentAmer. School Board Jour.

Examples of ground rule in a Sentence

before the debate begins, let's lay out some ground rules
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the arrangement also typically requires the fintech to follow ground rules set by the partner bank, including parameters around the types of client they are allowed to serve. Joel Khalili, Wired News, 23 July 2025 Even before arriving on the frontier, Joaquin and Stacey always set ground rules for screen time. Megan Margulies, Outside Online, 16 July 2025 Set ground rules More than half of the Mott survey respondents who let their teens have independence on vacation reported:1 Requiring teens to check in via phone (64%). Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 20 June 2025 Stakeholders must collaborate to set reasonable ground rules for the novel technology—but that transparency can carry risks, health tech leaders mused at a recent Newsweek event. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ground rule

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ground rule was in 1890

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Cite this Entry

“Ground rule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20rule. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

ground rule

noun
: a rule set up for a specified activity
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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