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

Xi now plans to follow his state visit to Washington with a major party meeting to lay the groundwork for his fourth five-year term, which will start next year. — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Most Popular Even as purely vegan menus became more untenable, the vegetable’s steady rise laid the groundwork. — Joel Hart, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2026

Next, the team plans to push deeper into the dark, testing how far down solar technology can go while laying the groundwork for standardized testing protocols for underwater photovoltaics. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026

These findings also lay some groundwork for scientists studying how tissues evolve and develop and underscores the value of museum collections. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 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