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 complaints underscore the groundswell of concern among government leaders that major social networks risk the well-being of their younger users by designing their products in ways that optimize for engagement over safety. —Naomi Nix, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2023

There was an absolute groundswell of people actively trying to get their children back. —Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023

Call it Peak Gift Book: For whatever reason (perhaps pandemic delays), 2023 has witnessed a major nonfiction groundswell of memoirs, biographies and cultural histories that are both substantial and a lot of fun. —Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023

What happened to groundswell of support following the rise of Trump, particularly among the right? —Hafiz Rashid, The New Republic, 18 Oct. 2023

There also has been a groundswell of animus at Santa Anita calling this a case of unequal treatment. —John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2023

In the pandemic, there was this groundswell of interest in what constitutes essential labor and a fairly mainstream movement toward police abolition and mutual aid. —Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2023

There is a groundswell for Bryan that keeps growing. —Melinda Newman, Billboard, 6 Sep. 2023

And that agitation created a groundswell of mobilization in the diaspora, which rekindled some of the old networks of militancy and homeland politics. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ground swell

noun

: a broad deep ocean swell caused by a distant storm or earthquake