lay a/the foundation

idiom

: to create a usually stone or concrete structure that supports a building from underneath

: to provide something (such as an idea, a principle, or a fact) from which another thing develops or can develop

Her early research laid the foundation for many important medical discoveries.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Accelerate growth and lay a foundation for future growth. —

Joe Mozden, Forbes, 2 June 2022 Garland was part of a three-pronged class -- Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr. being the other two -- expected to lay a foundation for the rebuild. —

Chris Fedor, cleveland, 4 Feb. 2022 The Mayflower Compact, signed 400 years ago this week, helped lay a foundation for America’s commitment to government by consent of the governed. —

Joseph Loconte, National Review, 11 Nov. 2020 Smith and Boston could begin to lay a foundation for an outstanding high-low duo. —

Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 11 May 2023 It’s set up to be a much better opportunity for Billups to showcase his coaching chops and lay a foundation for the Blazers’ next chapter. —

Bill Oram, oregonlive, 19 Oct. 2022 What comes next may position CVS to enter a new phase of delivering health care, as CVS executives said in a call with investors after the announcement that the deal would lay a foundation to expand into home health care. —

Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2022 Anyone with the will to succeed and the tenacity to lay a foundation and adopt this persona can become a Methodical Innovator. —

Sri Manchala, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 Wednesday’s hearing could help lay a foundation for legislation in that vein and other proposals, such as instituting new windfall taxes on the industry and using that money to provide relief to consumers. —

Joseph Morton, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lay a/the foundation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near lay a/the foundation

lay aside

lay a/the foundation

lay away

See More Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lay a/the foundation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lay%20a%2Fthe%20foundation. Accessed 30 May. 2023.

Copy Citation