ground 1 of 3

noun

ˈgrau̇nd How to pronounce ground (audio)
Definition of groundnext
1
as in yard
grounds plural the area around and belonging to a building an escorted tour of the White House and its surrounding grounds

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2
as in sediment
grounds plural matter that settles to the bottom of a body of liquid strain the coffee to remove the grounds

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3
as in reason
grounds plural something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing evicted the tenants on the grounds that they violated the lease

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4
as in field
a small area of usually open land I'll meet you at the parade ground in two hours

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5
as in basis
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests opposed to the notion that religious law should be used as a ground for civil law

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6
as in soil
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow stuck the shovel in the ground and went inside for a glass of water

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7
as in backdrop
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed take her picture against a blue ground in order to bring out her blue eyes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air was glad to be back on the ground after a turbulent flight

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ground

2 of 3

adjective

as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something chopping wood with a finely ground axe

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ground

3 of 3

verb

as in to base
to find a basis you're grounding your entire case on circumstantial evidence

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ground
Noun
The effective ground game and fourth-down success helped Kansas run 86 plays to Baylor’s 66. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026 Or targeted other relatives to be hosts, with the precedent of your sister-in-law’s apparently being excused entirely on those grounds. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
CoffeeGeek’s analysis found K-Cups can cost the equivalent of $21 to $43 per pound, while quality whole beans run $9 to $22 — and whole beans stay fresh far longer than pre-ground. — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026 Salt and freshly ground black pepper Remove visible fat from the pork tenderloin. — Linda Gassenheimer, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
Verb
Guillermo del Toro grounds The Shape of Water in Elisa’s quest to be understood by those around her. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 Interplanetary travel aside, the comedian-actor-singer is strikingly grounded for someone who has enjoyed an enviable ascent on their own terms over the past decade. — Joe Lynch, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ground
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground
  1. yard
  2. sediment
  3. reason
  4. field
  5. basis
  6. soil
  7. backdrop
  8. land
Noun
  • Allen went 64 yards for a touchdown to tie the score on a short pass.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Carson James finished with 219 yards and three TDs on 33 carries, while Steward picked up 192 rushing yards and 156 passing yards.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of yard
Noun
  • The scientists concluded Gerrothorax maritimus lived in the ocean because the fossils were found in deep sea sediments and were nearly complete skeletons.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Any far-future geologist sifting through sediment cores will detect a thin dusting of radioactive fallout as a precise time stamp of a world forever changed—an inexpungible technofossil boundary signaling humanity’s broader dominance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of sediment
Noun
  • For next year’s admissions, institutions would have to publish more detailed selection criteria and explain rejections when applicants request reasons.
    — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • For that reason, Republicans believe the seat is a likely pickup this fall in what is otherwise a difficult midterm environment.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of reason
Noun
  • The crash, which occurred in a flat stretch surrounded by olive fields in between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes, left carriages shredded into bits of metal and other material, scattering debris down a gravel slope.
    — JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Understanding these effects could help identify the physical limits of controlling electrons with rapidly oscillating light fields.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of field
Noun
  • The defense trial accounts of bias were connected to Weeks’ rulings, which were within his discretion and not a basis for recusal, prosecutors argued.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The combination of large-scale pre-training, distributed post-training and feedback-driven learning after deployment forms the basis of GO-3 Preview.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of basis
Noun
  • Bukele late Thursday said in his statement on X that the deployment of his soldiers and equipment on Haitian soil is nearly finished.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • By analyzing drone data, the government concluded that they were launched from Ethiopian soil, added Abdel Qader in a SUNA report.
    — YASSIR ABDALLA, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of soil
Noun
  • High white walls and black-lacquer floors provide museumlike backdrops for Thai antiques.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The film will use that mix, with giant creatures popping up around town as a surreal backdrop, to probe the pull between difference and belonging, and between freedom and commitment.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of backdrop
Noun
  • Its original location on a spit of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the salt pond may have been a bit too ambitious—after suffering damage from the 1938 New England Hurricane, it was relocated across the pond, reopening in 1939.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The Benbrook City Council passed an ordinance aimed at restricting development in flood-prone areas a year after a home builder sought to develop a section of land in the Mary’s Creek floodplain.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of land

Phrases Containing ground

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grouchy
ground
groundbreaker
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Cite this Entry

“Ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ground

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