as in rules
a statement spelling out the proper procedure or conduct for an activity
before the debate begins, let's lay out some ground rules
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Recent Examples of ground rules
This may mean changing your mindset; this may mean family therapy; this may mean taking a firmer stance on ground rules for respect in the home, in conjunction with your husband.
—
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2026
You’re allowed to set ground rules for all connections — even friendships.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Students created Instagram accounts with posts to share walking routes, protest times, last-minute changes and ground rules for the demonstrations, such as a prohibition on violence.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
This could be because the leader themselves is emotionally reactive and people are just parroting what is modeled, or because there are no ground rules for conversations and no consequences given for lashing out.
—Blair Glaser, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
Instead, White suggests talking about things in advance and setting some ground rules.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Many of these groups, including Nallen Copley’s, have strict ground rules against pitching products and deals and gatekeep against vendors or brokers.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Are Hal and Kate planning to assess and adjust their expectations and ground rules at the six-month or one-year mark?
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Factionalism, doctrine, ground rules, justifications are, in Anderson’s film, irrelevant, meaning that French 75’s actions take place in an intellectual void.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2026
You’re allowed to set ground rules for all connections — even friendships.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Students created Instagram accounts with posts to share walking routes, protest times, last-minute changes and ground rules for the demonstrations, such as a prohibition on violence.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
This could be because the leader themselves is emotionally reactive and people are just parroting what is modeled, or because there are no ground rules for conversations and no consequences given for lashing out.
—Blair Glaser, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
Instead, White suggests talking about things in advance and setting some ground rules.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Many of these groups, including Nallen Copley’s, have strict ground rules against pitching products and deals and gatekeep against vendors or brokers.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Are Hal and Kate planning to assess and adjust their expectations and ground rules at the six-month or one-year mark?
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Factionalism, doctrine, ground rules, justifications are, in Anderson’s film, irrelevant, meaning that French 75’s actions take place in an intellectual void.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ground rules
Noun
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Pro-immigration advocates, meanwhile, have accused the administration of punishing legal immigrants who are complying with immigration rules.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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But many states have more stringent rules, and regulations vary widely.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In September, Abbott issues an executive order on THC that spurred the new regulations about to take effect.—
Steven Rosenbaum,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Ohio State spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said the school is compliant with state and federal regulations and legal rulings regarding admissions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Wang said her American citizenship was made possible by the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship guarantee and by changes to laws that had restricted Asian immigration.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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With that in mind, Egbert didn’t share her colleagues’ discomfort with pre-empting local laws.—
Mark Dee
March 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His spring 2026 debut struck the perfect balance between heritage and modernity, drawing from the maison’s most iconic codes—tweed, camellias, and classic tailoring—while subtly reframing them through a lens honed during his tenure at Bottega Veneta.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
25 Mar. 2026
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The Senate's version of the bill would rely on QR codes instead of adding icons directly to menus, a difference that supporters say could make the information harder to access.—
Nicky Zizaza,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ground rules.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ground%20rules. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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