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
5
6
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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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

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
Their presence calls out to all who visit this sacred ground. — Rob Newell, Baltimore Sun, 10 Nov. 2026 The corps is built to orchestrate NATO ground forces in a crisis and helps coordinate large-scale exercises. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 10 Nov. 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
The fear had to be that Stewart’s Star Trek captain, by comparison, would feel like your stern and authoritarian father had finally come home to shut down the party and tell everyone they were grounded. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026 The Chinese government back then took NBA games off state television, apparel was removed from stores, and decades of growth for the league in China ground to a screeching halt. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ground
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground
Noun
  • Looking confused, the Parrots deserved an Academy Award for their acting skills, because on their third play, quarterback King Exusdus took the snap from shotgun formation and sprinted 82 yards for a touchdown.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • That’s a considerable drop off for a player who combined for 1,131 yards from scrimmage (911 rushing) and 10 TDs in his rookie season last year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • In August, a massive avalanche of rock and glacial ice tore down a mountainside in the Himalayas, unleashing a torrent of water, rock and sediment that thundered toward communities along Nepal's Trishuli River at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour.
    — Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Tourists’ access has been curtailed in order to protect the engravings, and researchers believe that clearing the years of sediment that has settled in the caves may reveal more art.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Officials, for example, have not explained whether Young’s administrative leave was related to allegations against him personally, his supervisory responsibilities or another reason.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The Catalan capital has been a popular destination for decades, and with good reason.
    — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Brett Baty will get plenty of at-bats by continuing to move around the field playing in the infield and outfield.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Cousins played so well — his 20 touchdown passes are second only to Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow’s 23 — that Kubiak wasn’t in a hurry to take the 38-year-old off the field, even though the move was inevitable.
    — Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Specifically, the scientists found that a receptor protein in the ventromedial hypothalamus may form the basis for the foxes’ social behavior.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Plus, that can impact how the whole institution is run on a day-to-day basis, as Congress has the power to shake up the Smithsonian’s board of regents.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • After a full day of searching, authorities found freshly disturbed soil in the woods not far from the home of the boy’s grandfather.
    — Allen G. Breed, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Subsidence has erased 6 feet of soil since 1924 at a University of Florida agricultural research station near Belle Glade.
    — Nicolas Rivero, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Nairobi National Park is nearby—this must be the only city in Africa where wildlife roam against a backdrop of skyscrapers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Apart, which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival, explores the friendship between two boys against the backdrop of apartheid-era South Africa.
    — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Hall explained that his family had made it onto their new land but still needed a few materials to get things working properly.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2026
  • An adjacent overpass over Agoura Road, as well as a land bridge still being built between the structures, are currently bare.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ground.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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