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

By securing this agreement, Hyundai Heavy Industries is laying the groundwork for further involvement in the energy sector. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026

The legislation lays the groundwork for roughly $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. —Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026

Also today, Deutsche Telekom’s CEO lays the groundwork for a career-defining deal. —Liana Baker, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026

Meanwhile, SpaceX has been laying the groundwork for huge upgrades to Starlink Mobile, which is currently available from T-Mobile, but with limited bandwidth. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 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